


Unbroken

by saddle_tramp



Series: Incomplete [4]
Category: 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Fast and the Furious Series, The Fast and the Furious (2001)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brian has questionable taste in music, Emotional Baggage, Everyone Still Loves Brian, Explicit Language, Leon is awesome, M/M, Other times Dom just laughs at the world, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Relationship(s), Rome is learning, Sometimes Dom is Dense, Tej is Scary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-08 11:51:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11081013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saddle_tramp/pseuds/saddle_tramp
Summary: Pairings: Dom/Brian, Rome/Brian, and past Brian/TejSummary: Still inspired by the song'Incomplete', particularly this part:I try, to go on like I never knew you.I'm awake, but my world is half asleep.I pray, for this heart to be unbroken,But without you all I'm going to be is, incomplete.When Dom ran in the Supra he thought Brian would be able to talk himself out of trouble, and he hated himself for a long time after Mia finally told him Brian went to Chino for him. Going back wouldn't help anyone at that point so he tried to do what he had always done, taking care of his team and living for the ten second stretches where he still felt truly alive.





	Unbroken

**Author's Note:**

> This is set after _'2 Fast 2 Furious'_ , but is completely AU, though it does mention characters introduced in the third (chronologically) movie, _'Fast & Furious'_.
> 
> WARNING: This will likely be triggery for some people! Read the warnings/tags! There is reference to past rape and reference to underage sex.

 

~*~*~

 

Dom was sitting in the sand with his arms folded on his bent knees, looking out over sparkling waters a shade of intense blue that always made him remember a pair of eyes that seldom left his thoughts for long even after more than three long years. He wasn't even sure Brian was alive but he knew he'd never forget him, though sometimes he felt like he probably should. He had never even kissed Brian, waiting for Mia to finish teaching Vince that she wouldn't just wait and watch him cat around forever, but Dom still saw Brian's smile and bright sparkling eyes often in his dreams.

Letty didn't have to look for Dom for long when she got through talking with Han, she knew exactly where he'd be that time of day. He was always either in the garage, sprawled in his hammock on the back porch, or out on the beach staring at the water. Third time was a charm that day, and she crossed the wide strip of sand to drop to her knees next to Dom, bumping her shoulder against his to get Dom to look at her and then giving him a teasing little smirk. "You fallin' asleep out here?"

"No, just watching the water," Dom replied, resting his cheek on his arms as he looked at Letty. "What's up?"

"Han got back about an hour ago," Letty replied. "He has a girl with him, real pretty."

"Good for him," Dom said, smiling slightly.

"Yeah," Letty agreed, her smile widening. "He's trying to play it cool, but he's totally gone on her. It's adorable."

Dom chuckled, soft and low. "About damn time."

"I know, right?' Letty agreed with a grin, then grew more serious again. "He's got news though, Dom. They're not looking for us anymore."

Dom let out a soft disbelieving noise and lifted his head. "Since when?"

"Since Han found the Fed who ran things in L.A. when they went for us, dude named Bilkins," Letty said quietly. "Han made a deal, went undercover for him. That's where he's been the last couple months, not Tokyo. He was taking down Braga."

Dom's eyes widened. "Braga is bad news."

"Not anymore." Letty shifted to sit by Dom, facing him but copying his pose with her knees up and her arms folded on them. "Han says the guy is in jail and they've got so much on him he's never getting out." She paused, then added, "The kid _really_ made a deal with the _FBI_ , Dom. Han has the papers to prove it, everything looks legit. Full pardons for _all_ of us, even though they didn't have much on me or Leon. He's got a phone Bilkins gave him, too, says the guy wanted to talk to you."

Dom just stared at Letty for a few moments and then looked out at the water, at a loss for words. He had stopped even bothering to _wish_ he could go back after Mia called and told him someone bought the house, almost two years ago. He wasn't sure there was anything left to go back to anymore, not with the team split like it was. Mia didn't want Dom around, and while she didn't hate him anymore like she did when she sold the house, they still barely talked. She couldn't forgive him for nearly getting Vince killed and sending him to Lompoc, and Dom couldn't really blame her. Vince agreed completely with Mia, blaming Dom and wanting nothing to do with him, still angry that Dom chose Brian over him.

Leon still backed Dom against all comers like he always had, as loyal as Dom once thought his whole team was, still calling Dom brother and defending him even against their family. Dom wasn't sure he would have survived the last three years without Leon, who somehow always seemed to know when Dom needed a distraction and came up with something to take his mind off the lonely monotony of living quiet in the middle of nowhere. It had been Leon that hiked into town that first summer and came back driving a barely running Chevelle, dropping a project into Dom's lap like a gift from God and giving him something to do besides hating himself.

Letty was the one in the middle, staying with Dom and Leon but still close to Mia and Vince, too. She and Dom still slept together sometimes, and she claimed Leon as the big brother she never wanted, but she spent a lot of time texting with Mia, too. Letty was how Dom knew what was really going on with Mia and Vince, who he still loved and worried about despite everything. When he called Mia she seldom had much to say to him other than she was fine, always claiming to be too busy to talk to him, but Letty got the real story and he was grateful she would share enough to set his mind at ease.

"It's really _over,_ Dom," Letty said softly after a little while of watching him stare at the water, reaching out to put her hand on his back and rub slowly. "We can go home."

"I'm not even sure I know where that is anymore," Dom admitted, looking at her again.

Letty smiled. "I do."

 

~*~*~

 

Dom sat in his chair at the darkened kitchen table staring at the burner phone that Bilkins had sent for him only a few moments longer before he suddenly stood, snatching the phone up off the table and heading for the back door. He dialed as he started towards the beach, avoiding the bonfire that the others were still gathered around, laughing and happy because they were starting the long drive home in the morning.

Bilkins picked up on the third ring, sounding sleepy and a little annoyed as he said, "What?"

"Sorry to wake you," Dom said quietly. "You told me to call if I had any more questions."

"Yeah, I did," Bilkins agreed, surprised. "Pretty sure we covered everything though, Toretto. I'll have everything you need waiting at the San Ysidro Customs by the time you get there."

"Yeah, no, I know," Dom agreed, looking out at the water. "It's not about that."

"Okay, shoot then," Bilkins said, sounding a little confused.

Dom looked down, gathering his courage to be honest with this Fed who Han said talked so highly of Brian, and then asked, "How is Brian? I know he went to Chino for me, but... Is he doing okay now?"

Bilkins snorted, sounding annoyed as he said scathingly, " _Three years_ , Toretto, and _now_ you care about O'Connor?"

"I _always_ cared," Dom said quickly, his voice a little harder even though he tried to keep his temper under control. "The only reason I left him there is because he _told me to_ , Bilkins, said he'd be fine. I didn't know he took the fall for me until it was already too late, and by then it wouldn't have done him any good for me to be in prison, too." He snorted. "And it's not like I could call you up and ask _before_ now. I don't know anyone else who'd even _know_."

Bilkins was quiet a few moments and then asked abruptly, "Why do you care, Toretto? He was just a cop to you."

"Brian was _never_ a cop with me," Dom disagreed, frowning. "I just... I need to know. It's important to me."

"You gotta do better than that," Bilkins said a little more firmly.

"What do you want me to say, Bilkins?" Dom asked, still frowning. "You wanna hear I fell for the kid the first time he smiled at me all wide and pretty? Just _tell me_ , damn."

"Did you?" Bilkins asked, sounding a little surprised.

Dom sighed. "Maybe not the _first_ time." He looked out at the water again. "My little sister was using him to make her guy jealous so he'd stop taking her for granted, but Brian still spent most of his time _with_ _me_ and we both liked it that way. I thought we had time, thought I could wait for him to notice, but then our world went to shit and he was gone."

"And now?" Bilkins asked, quiet and serious.

"Now I just want to know he's safe and happy, maybe get a chance to see him," Dom replied softly. "I still miss him."

Bilkins was silent for several moments and then finally sighed. "He's in Miami, Toretto. He was doing fine last I checked on him, a few months ago."

Dom closed his eyes and took a shaky breath, so relieved he was a little lightheaded. He rubbed at his face with his free hand, staring out over the water for a minute or so before he asked, "You're not even gonna ask him if he wants me knowing where he is first?"

"I don't have to ask," Bilkins said quietly. "You're right. He was never a cop with you." He paused, letting that sink in, then said, "He's been trying to get me to make you a deal since the beginning, even went under a second time for me a couple years ago and wanted me to clear _your_ record instead of his own." He snorted. "Wasn't the last time he tried asking me, either. I finally pulled most of the federal heat off you for him, but I was still hoping to lock you up right up until the Braga thing."

"That's why we stopped being found every few months?" Dom asked, shocked. He had just figured that after two years they had finally kept out of trouble long enough to slide off the radar.

"Yeah," Bilkins said, sounding disgusted. " _I_ still think you belong behind bars, but Brian, he says you're a good guy and I owed him. He nearly died doing that second job for me, saved a deep-cover agent who got in over her head and took down a _major_ player named Verone, real nasty piece of work. Got us enough on him to put him away a long time." He sighed. "He tried talking me into clearing you for him after it was all over, but I couldn't justify clearing him and the guy who did the job with him _and_ you. I had to call in some favors just to get the agents on you reassigned."

"Wow," Dom murmured. "I... don't even know what to say."

Bilkins snorted. "Kid's loyal as hell, Toretto, and he was always more part of _your_ team than mine. I just wish he was smarter about who he was loyal to." He voice hardened a little as he added, "Brian _never_ should have done that year in Chino for you. He didn't deserve it, but the idiot was so screwed up over it all that he confessed to stuff I know he didn't even _do_ , trying to pull heat off you and your team."

Dom stared at the water a moment more and then looked up at the stars. "I'll owe him the rest of my life for that."

"You're right, you will," Bilkins agreed, pausing only a moment before he said a bit gruffly, "You should tell him that yourself, though. He's still neck deep in street racing, kid's one of the best in Miami. He won't be hard to find, but if you hurt him I will hunt you down and _find_ a reason to put you away _forever_."

"Last thing I want is to hurt him," Dom said quietly.

"Good," Bilkins said firmly. "Was that all you wanted? I got an early morning tomorrow."

"Yeah, that's everything," Dom agreed. "Sorry I woke you. I just... I had to know, now that I could finally ask."

"Just stay out of trouble, okay?" Bilkins said quietly, sounding a little exasperated. "The kid has been through enough, worrying over your stupid ass." He hung up without another word.

Dom closed the flip phone and then just stood there looking out over the water for a long time, not even noticing it when he started to smile.

 

~*~*~

 

Letty glanced over at Dom, watching him drive for a long moment before she looked at the road again, smiling as she settled more comfortably in her seat.

Dom had spoken on the phone with Bilkins a few times in the two days since Han came back to them with a pile of papers and a burner phone with Bilkins' number saved in it, but she knew he hadn't quite believed that Bilkins was telling him the truth until they were allowed to cross the border legally. Bilkins himself hadn't shown up, the Customs agent who gave them the package with their passports and current drivers licenses said he got called away, but other than that everything had gone just like Bilkins told Dom it would. They had gone through Customs and then over the border without a hitch, weren't even asked about the Supra that had shown up in the computer as being registered to Dom even though he never even saw a title on it to transfer.

An hour after they walked into Customs they were on the way to San Diego, where Mia and Vince had been living together since Vince got out of Lompoc on parole. Mia had visited him every weekend while he was inside and they had been engaged for most of two years, ever since Mia told Vince he was going to marry her and he agreed like he had good sense. Vince was working as a bouncer for a club and seemed to enjoy it, and Mia had finally finished her degree to become a nurse practitioner and was working in the pediatric wing of a hospital. Letty had already talked to them, making sure Vince was really cleared too, and Mia and Vince were expecting them to show up for Sunday dinner.

Letty glanced at the side mirror, checking on Leon behind them in the Chevelle that Leon and Dom had rebuilt that first summer in Teopantlan, and she grinned when she saw how happy he looked. Leon had been complaining about the food in Mexico from the start, the only one of them who hated Mexican, and he had already stopped once to get a burger. He told them then to expect him to disappear a little while the first time they passed a Papa John's, too, and Letty knew he was serious. Leon claimed that even the pizza in Mexico just wasn't the same, and he wanted a barbecue chicken, bacon, and onion pizza so bad Letty figured he'd be drooling while he waited on his order.

Han was beside the Chevelle in the blue '73 Corvette he got somehow while he was working for Bilkins, looking at Giselle as he drove and smiling at something she was saying. Han had met her while he was undercover and she had risked her life to help him, then he saved hers. When he rode out with Braga to take him in, she had followed him and ended up saving him a second time. She claimed she was still with him because he owed her one, but Letty had seen how they looked at each other and she knew that was just an excuse.

Letty looked at the road ahead of them again, not even thinking about it as she said suddenly, "It'll be good to see Mia and V again. Get the team back together."

"Yeah," Dom agreed quietly. She looked over at him, surprised by his tone, and saw he was watching the road looking serious and unhappy.

"What is it, Dom?" Letty asked, concerned.

Dom's lips pressed into a firmer line and he just stared at the road for a minute or so before he finally looked at her. "I'll take you to San Diego, help you get settled, but then I'm gone. I got something I gotta do."

"What?" Letty asked, surprised. "What could be more important than finally _going home_?"

Dom looked away out the driver's window, then back at the road. He didn't answer for a little while, and Letty was starting to get annoyed when he finally said, "You won't like it."

"I know _that much_ already," Letty pointed out sharply. "Spill, Dominic. _Now_."

"Bilkins told me where Brian is," Dom admitted quietly.

"What the _fuck_ , Dom?!" Letty exclaimed angrily, scowling. "The Brian who _destroyed our lives_ ? _That_ Brian?"

" _He's_ the one who did the time," Dom pointed out, still not looking at her. "A year in Chino, Bilkins said, and you know as well as I do what prison would have been like for the kid."

"So he was some dude's bitch for a year," Letty said quickly, still scowling at Dom. "He _deserved it_ after what he did to us, Dom!"

Dom gave her a hard look. "Don't."

Letty scowled at him a moment longer, but the anger and pain in his eyes finally made her look away. " _Still_ , Dom?"

"You _ever_ know me to just stop loving someone?" Dom asked pointedly. "Even if they cheat on me and treat me like a damned _sex toy_ half the time?"

Letty sighed at that, her anger slipping away as suddenly as it had hit. She deserved that, she knew. She wasn't in love with Dom anymore, hadn't been even when they met Brian, but he still put up with her shit like he always had, taking care of her and even tolerating it when she flaunted her other men in his face. They slept together sometimes still, but it wasn't the same as it used to be, not even close. She couldn't forget about why they finally broke up for good a couple of weeks before everything came crashing down around them, when she accused him one night of wanting Brian more than her. She had expected a denial and a fight with some angry sex after, which was the best sex they were having then, but instead he had calmly agreed and said he was done with trying to fix whatever was left of their relationship. He had let her back into his bed after that, though he made her apologize first, but he didn't _try_ to get her in bed after that, not even when he was horny. He'd rather pick up some random skank instead of asking her for anything, she was sure.

They rode in silence for a little while, and had just passed the San Diego city limit sign when Letty finally murmured, "He probably forgot all about you by now, Dom. We were just a _job_ to him."

"Not according to Bilkins, but if he did, I'll give him his car and then I'll hop a plane back to Cali," Dom said quietly. "I'll even put up with you tellin' me you told me so after."

"He _owed you_ the car," Letty pointed out. "And you _love_ it."

Dom checked traffic and switched lanes for the exit, not looking at her. He couldn't make himself tell her he had always loved the Supra because it made him remember long days with Brian, rebuilding her together. "Maybe, but I owe him a lot more." He paused, pulling onto the off ramp with a glance back to be sure Leon and Han followed, then added softly, " _I_ haven't forgotten."

Letty stared at Dom a moment longer, then looked away. "Just... _Damn_ , Dom."

"I'm sorry," Dom murmured. "I need to know if I have a chance, Letty."

"Alright, but I may not be waiting around when you come back with your fuckin' _heart_ broken," Letty said, still not looking at him.

"I never expected you to be," Dom replied gently.

Letty swallowed hard, surprised by the stinging in her eyes as she realized that maybe she still loved him a little bit after all.

 

~*~*~

 

Dom was shoulder deep in the Supra when Leon suddenly thumped his hand lightly against the side of the car, making Dom look at him in surprise.

Dom had been working on the Supra since about an hour after daybreak, getting her ready to head for Miami. Mia and Letty were both pissed about it at Sunday dinner the night before, and Vince was stone-faced, but they could all tell it was important enough to Dom that nothing they said would stop him from going. Leon had spent hours after dinner talking the others down after Dom left to find a motel, reminding them how Dom and Brian had always acted towards each other, and finally they seemed to accept it, at least enough that Dom was able to come back for breakfast with the family and to use the tools Mia had kept. Most of their dad's personal tools and Dom's own professional tool chest were in one corner of her garage, the only things she kept for Dom when she was so angry at him.

"Hey brother," Leon said with an easy smile, amused. He'd been standing there for most of a minute without Dom ever looking up, obviously lost in thought while he worked on autopilot. "How's it going?"

"Almost done," Dom replied, giving Leon a quick smile before he looked back down at the pulley he had been tightening down. He gave the bolt another half turn and then stopped, extracting his arm and the wrench out of the narrow area he'd had to use it in and then straightening up. "That should do it."

Leon looked into the Supra's hood, not surprised at all that Dom had cleaned everything and replaced the belts and hoses. He was sure the car likely had new filters, too, and maybe a fresh set of plugs. None of it had really _needed_ replaced, but he wasn't surprised Dom did it anyway. Dom was planning on giving the car back to Brian and Leon knew he'd want her as close to perfect as he could make her. He looked back at Dom, still smiling. "Looks real good."

"She always did," Dom agreed, stepping back and reaching for the hood support. His lips twitched, remembering when Brian backed a borrowed wrecker up to his garage with just a burned-out shell, what felt like a lifetime ago. "Well, after we rebuilt her."

Leon stood and stepped away, watching Dom close the sleek dark red hood. "I bet he'll like the paint. He always liked your Mazda." Dom had refused to even consider getting rid of the Supra while they were on the run, but he had repainted it several times to try to throw off anyone looking for it. The red had been done about four months ago in Brazil, while they were there for the street races that always popped up during Carnival season. They hadn't run into any trouble since then, not even a brush with local cops, so it hadn't needed a makeover again yet.

"Maybe," Dom agreed, not about to admit he'd chosen the red because Brian had liked it. The Supra had gone through a neon green phase, too, and the sleek dark blue that Brian and Jesse had almost painted the Supra before they decided on orange. "If he doesn't, it's easy enough for him to fix. The concept drawings Jesse did are still in the computer, a good artist could put the angel back on there."

Leon smiled, thinking about Jesse. He had loved Brian right from the start, completely unashamed of it and always following Brian around, and Brian was always good to the kid, tolerating even the way Jesse liked to watch him sleep. The avenging angel as Brian's avatar had been all Jesse putting his heart on his sleeve, and Brian had praised Jesse's work so much that Jesse had floated on cloud nine whenever he caught Brian grinning and looking at it. "Jesse, he'd be all over this plan of yours, driving us all crazy he was so excited to go along." Dom let out a soft little huff of a laugh, nodding, and then Leon added softly, "He loved him too."

Dom looked at Leon quickly, just meeting his gaze a few moments before he asked quietly, "Letty tell everyone?"

Leon laughed. "Dominic, how long we known each other?"

"A long time," Dom admitted. "Ten years?"

"Nearer to fifteen," Leon corrected, amused. "You stopped being able to hide that kind of thing from me about a year in, brother. I think I figured out you wanted the kid before _you_ did." Dom looked amused and a little wry, looking down as he tugged a rag from his back pocket to wipe his hands but not saying anything, and Leon added, "I think even _Mia_ knew before you."

Dom looked at Leon, a little surprised. "Mia knew then?"

Leon nodded. "Something else she knew, too."

Dom waited for Leon to go on but he didn't, and after a few moments Dom asked softly, "Which was...?"

"I heard her one day in the garage, talking to him after she watched you two work on the Supra for a while," Leon said, smiling at Dom. "She told him you owned him. The kid didn't say anything, but the way he looked at you then, it wasn't news to him." Dom was staring at him, looking about as shocked as Dom ever did, and Leon fought hard not to laugh as he started to walk away, patting Dom's shoulder on the way by him. "Come tell them goodbye, big dog. We got a long drive ahead of us."

"We?" Dom repeated quickly, turning to watch Leon walk towards Mia's little house.

"You didn't think I'd let you go _alone_ , did ya?" Leon said with a laugh, not even looking back.

Dom watched Leon until he disappeared into the house, then looked back at the Supra, just staring at her for a few minutes before he stuffed the rag back into his back pocket and turned away to walk quickly towards the house.

Leon was right, they had a long drive ahead.

 

~*~*~

 

"Brian! You gonna get me _killed_!" Rome yelled, hiding his face against Brian's shoulder so he wouldn't have to see how fast they were going.

It had taken nearly two years in Miami for Brian to get Rome onto a jet ski, and Brian was having a blast going down the canal with Rome clinging to him. He was of the firm opinion that the only thing better than going as fast as possible was going fast with Rome, but just then he was settling for about half of what the Kawasaki SX-R he had borrowed could do. He was out to have some fun, not give Rome a heart attack.

Brian laughed. "Nah, I got you, bro!"

"Got me ready to murder your crazy ass!" Rome countered instantly, his grip tightening on Brian's hips as he felt the jet ski swing into a turn _way_ too fast to suit him. He was sure he was probably holding on tight enough to leave bruises shaped like his hands on Brian's narrow hips, but just this once he didn't much care. Brian reached back to stroke his thigh then and Rome's eyes sprang open as he lifted his head to glare at Brian and growled, "Both hands on the damn wheel, Brian!"

"It's not a wheel," Brian said, laughing again as he put his hand back on the control arm. He took pity on Rome and slowed down, turning the Kawasaki to point it back up the canal towards the garage as he teased, "I thought you _liked_ to go fast."

"In a _car_ , yeah," Rome agreed, shifting to wrap his arms around Brian's waist now that he was sure it was safe to let go a second. "This damn thing's not _safe_ , 'specially the way _you_ drive. You _dangerous_."

Brian snickered. "Hey, at least I didn't try to get you on one _before_ Suki and I taught you to swim."

Rome snorted. "You ain't gettin' me on one again _after_ this, either."

Brian looked over his shoulder at Rome, grinning wide and happy. "Aww, come on. I was gonna get us a couple to play with."

"Save your money," Rome said firmly, amused.

"You're no fun," Brian said teasingly, blue eyes sparkling and bright.

Rome laughed. "Oh hell no you didn't." He swatted Brian's thigh lightly, adding, "Eyes front, Twinkie."

Brian just laughed and did as he was told.

 

~*~*~

 

Dom stood quietly across the street from the guy that was in charge in Miami, a little dude with an afro that he'd heard was Tej Parker. He remembered that name from the circuit and knew the guy had been a prodigy, a nobody from Glendale who hit the tracks at twenty and dominated for several years until he went into a wall and flipped his car into the fence. He had heard the guy barely survived, though he was still a little surprised to see him walking even after he saw him at the races that were held the night before. He had been sure Parker ended up in a wheelchair after the wreck.

The crowd started to part suddenly, people whistling and cheering, and Dom shifted to get a better view as a purple and silver Spyder convertible pulled slowly through the gap towards the line where three other cars already waited. Her driver was a bald black guy with a wide grin in a skin-tight sleeveless white t-shirt that showed off a lot of muscle, but Dom barely noticed him. He was too busy watching the blond sprawled in the passenger seat who was grinning as he said something to the guy driving, watching him like nobody else existed.

Brian looked good, tan and healthy, but more important he looked _happy_ , which made Dom smile as a tension he hadn't even noticed eased out of his shoulders. Brian looked a little more muscular than Dom remembered with a few new laugh lines around his eyes, but otherwise he was just the same, his blue eyes bright and sparkling even most of forty feet away. He had overheard Jesse once telling Leon that Brian glowed, his heart was so good, and Dom had to agree. The kid was beautiful, inside and out.

The Spyder's driver grinned then and said something as he leaned towards Brian, who laughed and met him with a quick smiling kiss before he turned to get out. Brian had just closed the door when he looked up and met Dom's gaze and froze, his smile fading away as he just stared at Dom, looking as shocked as Dom had ever seen him, blue eyes wide.

Dom lifted his chin to Brian as he forced a smile, hoping his disappointment didn't show. The last thing he had ever expected was to find Brian with a guy already.

Brian stared a moment longer and then looked back into the car at the driver, who was watching Brian and looking worried until Brian said something. The driver looked at Dom then, his eyes going hard as he stared at Dom, and Dom gave him a wry little smile and tilted his head in a slight nod, sure that the guy knew _exactly_ who Dom was.

Parker walked over to Brian then as he said something to Brian and then looked towards Dom, and Dom realized Parker knew who he was too when he saw the way Parker glared at him. On the one hand that was good, Brian obviously hadn't forgotten him, but on the other hand the way the two men reacted hinted that maybe Dom was a _bad_ memory.

Brian reached out to Parker, touching his arm and leaning in close to murmur something to him, and then Dom stared in shock as Parker lifted one hand to the back to Brian's neck and tugged him down to kiss Brian lovingly, then gave him a firm look and said something, still holding Brian's neck.

Brian smiled wryly, nodding as he agreed to whatever Parker had said, then Parker let him go and Brian started walking through the crowd towards Dom.

Parker gave Dom a hard look much like the Spyder's driver had done and then moved to the line and went back to business, taking a megaphone from a pretty Asian girl and then announcing it was time to clear the line for the night's final race featuring Joker, which seemed to be the Spyder's driver since the guy raised a hand to the cheering crowd.

Dom turned his attention back to Brian then, watching him make his way slowly through the crowd, and he smiled at the way people were stepping out of the way for Brian and greeting him. He had obviously earned the respect he had wanted so badly back when Dom met him, and as he got closer Dom heard several people call him Bullitt. That made Dom's eyebrows go up because he'd been hearing people talk about a racer called Bullitt since he started working his way into the scene the night before. _Everyone_ had nothing but good to say about Bullitt, calling him king of the streets while Parker was king of Miami as a whole. Parker had his fingers into everything, but from what Dom had been hearing, Bullitt - _Brian_ \- was mostly just working on cars at Parker's place, though everyone agreed he was unbeatable.

Brian finally reached Dom then, but before he could say anything a kid standing nearby said, "Hey Bullitt! What up?"

"Not a lot," Brian replied, giving the kid an easy smile. "How you doing, Rabbit? That little Hyundai still going good for you?"

"Perfect!" Rabbit replied, grinning. "You racing tonight?"

"Nah man, nobody'll race me straight up anymore except for Rome and Suki, and we play on our own," Brian replied with a laugh. "Tej has to sneak me in to get me into the main event."

Rabbit laughed. "Who you bettin' on then?"

"Rome, of course," Brian replied with a grin. "His Spyder's gonna dominate, Jimmy and I just played with her. He can give my lady a run for the money now."

Rabbit laughed, and then Tej yelled asking if everyone was ready. "See ya, Bullitt."

"Bye." The kid quickly moved towards the road to see better and Brian looked at Dom, smiling slightly still. "Where's your car?"

Dom jerked his head towards the alley where he had parked. "Off that way." He paused, then added, "Don't you wanna watch your guy race?" He let out a soft little snort, unable to stop himself from asking, "Or is it Parker that's your guy?"

"Rome can win just fine without me," Brian replied, fighting to keep smiling. Dom's opinion of him was very important to Brian and Dom obviously wasn't very pleased as he mentioned Rome and Tej, but Brian wasn't ashamed of anything he had done with them. They were the best friends he'd ever had and he loved both of them way too much to try to hide it. "And Tej has everything under control, he always does."

The crowd started cheering as the race started then and Brian glanced towards the road, smiling more sincerely when he saw Rome had been off the line first, then he looked expectantly back at Dom. It wasn't going to be a very long race, so it wouldn't be long before Rome was back and looking for him. He wanted at least a few minutes to speak with Dom before then to find out why he was there.

Dom hesitated a moment longer and then turned to head for the Supra, very aware of Brian right behind him as they headed back towards where he parked. Leon was in the crowd somewhere, but Dom knew Leon probably had eyes on them and wouldn't be surprised Dom and Brian went to the car to get out of the crowd. He'd either catch a ride to the hotel with someone else, something Leon was good at even with strangers, follow Dom and Brian, or wait for Dom to call ready to pick him up.

Brian followed Dom through the crowd, smiling and nodding to people who spoke to him but otherwise ignoring everything else. Dom looked almost the same as he had the last time Brian saw him, still moved the same, and after they got into an alley away from the crowd Brian just let himself stare a little. He had always liked watching Dom, even back when he was just sitting at a counter in Toretto's with a tuna sandwich - and they _were_ lousy - pretending to be interested in Mia while he mostly watched her brother's wide shoulders. He went to Toretto's the first time because of Dom before he ever went undercover, following the red Mazda RX-7 he'd seen Dom racing. When Brian found out Dom was the prime suspect in a case the FBI wanted him to go undercover on a few days later, he had agreed mostly because he hoped to prove him innocent.

Brian was so lost in thought he didn't notice they were getting close to Dom's car until Dom stopped suddenly next to it, making Brian stop too. He looked at the deep red car almost the same shade as the RX-7, curious what Dom was driving, but after only a moment his eyes went wide. The color was different, but he'd know that make and model anywhere and he looked at Dom quickly, shocked as he asked, "Is that really the Supra?"

Dom nodded, smiling slightly. "Yep, just like the day you handed her over, except for the paint and a lot of miles. She paid our way the last three years, racing for us."

Brian smiled at Dom, bright and amazed, then turned back towards the car. "I was sure she ended up in a chop shop somewhere."

Dom snorted. "I wasn't going to dump the last car Jesse worked on." Brian looked at Dom, his smile fading at the reminder, and Dom added, "Besides, I know how you loved her."

"That was important to you?" Brian asked, trying not to read anything into it. "How I felt?"

"Always, Bri," Dom replied quietly. "More than you know."

Brian looked into Dom's eyes for a moment, then asked quietly, "Why are you here, Dom?"

"Guy named Bilkins told me I could find you here," Dom replied honestly.

Brian hesitated at that, knowing that there was a lot Bilkins could have told Dom that Brian didn't necessarily want him to say, then asked slowly, "How did you meet Bilkins?"

"Buddy of mine did a job for him, took out one of the biggest heroin smugglers in the world," Dom answered. "We've been keepin' our noses clean since we left except for racing, and I guess they wanted Braga pretty bad. Han's price was getting the team's records cleared so we could go home, and when Braga hit jail, Bilkins wiped everything."

"Miami is a long way from Echo Park," Brian pointed out, glad to hear the team's records were finally clean. He had been trying to figure out a way to get Bilkins to do it for years but Bilkins never agreed, not even after the thing with Verone when Bilkins was so happy with them that he got Customs to let Rome keep the Spyder. Enrique had made a deal, flipping on Verone in exchange for witness protection, and he had known where the bodies were buried in a very literal sense.

"Nothing left for me in Echo Park," Dom said, looking away towards where people still crowded the far end of the alley. "Mia was real pissed at me for a long time, and she sold it all."

"I knew she sold everything," Brian said quietly, remembering what it felt like when he tried to go back to Echo Park. "I went by the day I got out of Chino."

"Why would you do that, Brian?" Dom asked softly, surprised.

Brain shrugged, looking down. "Masochistic, I guess." He looked towards the Supra, his gaze running over the deep red paint, but Brian wasn't really seeing it. "It hurt like hell, seeing the for sale sign on the house." He fell silent a moment, still not looking at Dom as he added a little hesitantly, "The cafe and the garage had been sold by then, but... I can help you get the house back. Guy who owns it, he'd make you a real good deal."

Dom stared at Brian, shocked. "Brian, look at me." Brian looked at Dom, meeting his gaze, and then Dom asked softly, "How do _you_ know who bought the house?"

"'Cause he bought it for me," Brian admitted quietly. "I told him about the team and the house one night a couple months after Chino." He shrugged. "I didn't expect anything, I was just telling him everything that went down, but he could see how upset I was about making you lose the house. A couple weeks later he showed me the deed like it was nothing, told me it was one less thing to regret." He smiled, remembering that morning when Tej dropped the deed by Brian's cereal bowl like it was the most normal thing in the world to buy someone a house. "It's been rented out ever since making decent money for him."

"The guy in the Spyder?" Dom asked, fighting to hide how that made him feel, that Brian cared so much, was so upset about what Mia had done, that one of his friends had saved the house. Dom had been afraid to try, sure that it would get traced back to him and get seized or worse, get his team caught and put in prison, but he had _wished_ he could save it. Mia had been so angry at him then, he had half expected her to burn the house down to spite him if it didn't sell soon. He had regretted not being able to keep it every day since Mia had told him it sold for her asking price, a good twenty thousand more than it was worth because she had expected to get talked down.

Brian shook his head. "Tej." Dom just stared and Brian added, "Tej Parker, the guy who was running the race tonight?"

"The king of Miami," Dom said slowly. He'd heard rumors the guy was loaded, but to buy a _house_ for someone, that was a level of loaded Dom just hadn't ever associated with. The team had stolen a lot, but they hadn't _kept_ any of it, not really. The money was spent on paying off bills like the mortgages on the house and the market, and on buying the best they could get for their cars. The plan had always been to make their cars so unbeatable they could support themselves racing, then stop doing the jobs. "The one with the afro who kissed you and looked at me like he wants to rip my liver out."

Brian let out a soft little laugh, smiling suddenly. "Yeah, that's Tej." He looked down, but not before Dom saw the fond look in his eyes or how Brian's smile had softened. "He's kinda protective sometimes." He looked at Dom again, blue eyes warm and amused as he explained, "Tej and I have been close since just after juvie. He's the one who got me racing, gave me my first car." He grinned. "She was no ten second car, but back then I thought she was fast. Real nice '77 Trans-Am he was restoring when I met him. We rebuilt pretty much everything on her at least twice before he went out on the circuit, and then a few months later I was in a race and the front end broke loose, flipped her like half a dozen times. Barely made it out before the Nos blew. Dad talked me into going into the police academy a few months later, and then Tej and I sort of lost touch 'cause I was trying so hard to be a good cop for Dad I didn't talk to my racing buddies anymore. Tej finally hunted me down again after he built this place though, found me right after Chino when I needed to get away from all the memories in L.A., and here I am."

Dom stared into Brian's eyes a moment and then asked softly, "And the other guy? The one you called Rome?"

"He's why I survived the two years in juvie," Brian admitted, his smile fading. "We grew up together, got busted when I was fifteen after we stole a car and went joyriding."

"They put you in together?" Dom asked, surprised.

Brian shook his head, looking down and then away at the empty end of the alley, determined not to lie to Dom again. "I was in a different cell block at first," Brian said quietly after a moment, remembering. "I... wasn't doing so great, but I wouldn't tell my dad why 'cause I didn't think he could help. About two months in I ended up in the infirmary and someone told my dad the rougher guys were ... passing me around. Dad is a cop, a good one, and he went to the warden to get me a transfer so Rome could keep me safe." He hesitated there, debating how honest to be, but he finally admitted, "I talked Rome into claiming me so people would leave me alone, and after that it was pretty good, until we got out. I thought we'd be together forever, he was my world by then, but Rome got it in his head he'd taken advantage of me and freaked out. He decided it was best for me if he stayed away from me, and after I made a fool of myself chasing him for a month or so, I finally did what he wanted and gave up. Dad took a transfer to the Glendale PD to get me a fresh start, and then I met Tej right after. Rome didn't talk to me again until I needed his help to do a job here for Bilkins a couple years ago, but we've been solid ever since. It's not like it was, but at least I've got my best friend back."

Dom just looked at Brian for a few moments, thinking that Brian's dad being a cop explained why Brian ended up trying to be one, even though he didn't have the temperament for it. Knowing Brian had been passed around in juvie explained some things he had noticed too, like how Brian had reacted whenever he and Vince tangled. They had fought probably a dozen times, always because Vince started it, and Brian's eyes had always looked a little freaked out if Vince got him pinned before Dom could stop it. Brian hadn't ever let Vince see it, but _Dom_ had known that Vince scared him. Vince had a hard edge even before Lompoc, legacy of a long stretch of his own in juvie for aggravated assault, and he had been rough on weaker kids.

Brian finally risked a glance to see why Dom was so quiet, flushing a bit at the way Dom was looking at him so sad and troubled.

"Chino was even worse on you," Dom finally murmured, "wasn't it? That's why Tej is so protective, why he bought the house tryin' to make you happy again."

Brian flinched, looking away. "Chino is Hell on earth. I went in thinking it wouldn't be like juvie, that I was older and tougher and I could deal, but it was so much worse." He looked back at Dom, his blue eyes haunted. "You had the right idea. I'd die before I went back."

Dom nodded slowly. "Did a lot I'm not proud of to survive in Lompoc." He hesitated and then admitted something he had never told a soul before, wanting Brian to know he wasn't alone. "I didn't win every time, Bri, especially not at first. They damn near killed me a couple times before I started working out all the time, got strong enough they went after easier tail."

Brian swallowed hard and just stared into Dom's sad, sympathetic eyes, wondering how that had stayed out of Dom's record. His own had been pretty explicit about what was done to him in Chino up until Bilkins got it wiped. "Mostly I lost. Ended up in the infirmary a lot. The doc kept telling me I'd be better off if I stopped fighting, but I wasn't gonna make it that easy for them."

Dom nodded. "I know _exactly_ what you mean." He heard a car approaching and turned his head to look, surprised to see that the Spyder was moving slowly towards them, the driver's expression closed. He looked back at Brian, murmuring, "Looks like your guy is done already."

"It was a short run tonight." Brian looked towards Rome, smiling slightly at the concern Rome was trying to hard to hide. He waited for Rome to stop the car and get out, then said, "I'm _fine_. Dom would never hurt me, Rome, not unless I earned it."

"You better be fine," Rome said firmly, walking over to stand in front of Dom and size him up. He realized they were close to the same height, both bald and muscled up about the same, and he snorted, giving Brian a look. "Yeah, no, you don't have a type at _all,_ Brian."

Brian let out a startled little laugh, blushing as he looked away, and Dom's eyebrows went up as he smirked. "I'm your _type_ , Bri?"

"I'm gonna kill you, Rome," Brian said, not answering Dom as he gave Rome a dirty look, still feeling like his face was on fire. "Dead!"

"Yeah, that ain't happening," Rome said with a snort. "Tej is right, you're a total Twinkie."

"Twinkie?" Dom echoed, amused.

"Yeah," Rome replied, "'cause he's all golden on the outside but sweet, fluffy whiteness clear through the middle."

Dom started laughing as Brian shoved Rome, his face beet red even though he laughed. "Shut _up_ , Rome! Damn!"

Rome smirked at Brian, barely rocking when Brian shoved him. Brian and Dom had both looked entirely too serious when he pulled up, and he was glad he'd managed to make Brian laugh even if he did embarrass him to do it. "You know it's true, baby, don't even front."

Brian stared at Rome a moment, then let out another little huff of a laugh and looked away. "You're finding somewhere else to sleep tonight."

"Oh hell no," Rome disagreed with a laugh, "you wanna sleep alone, _you_ carry your ass. _I'm_ the one bought that comfy mattress, and I didn't line up a girl tonight 'cause I thought you might need me."

"I got a hotel room you're welcome to share, Bri," Dom offered, amused and glad whatever Brian had with Rome wasn't exclusive. Brian and Rome both looked at him, Rome annoyed and Brian wide-eyed and still blushing.

"Brian got higher _standards_ than that, Dominic," Rome said scathingly, making Dom's eyebrows lift. "You wanna get with him, you gonna have to _earn it_ , son."

"There's two beds," Dom said dryly, making Rome look a little surprised before he could hide it.

"Alright, baby boy," Tej called suddenly, making them look towards his voice to see him walking quickly up the alley, limping a bit because he was pushing himself too fast. "Do I gotta hide his stupid ass from the Feds until we can get him a deal, or what?"

Brian laughed, glad to change the subject off where he was sleeping. _He_ planned to sleep on his boat, mostly because he was used to the constant motion of the water and loved how safe and comfortable he always felt there. Whether Rome would join him or not was the only question. Rome had told Brian more than once that he was going to step back whether Brian wanted him to or not if Dom ever showed up, and Rome didn't always sleep with him anyway. He had for a long time after Tej and Suki got engaged, but Rome had started missing girls eventually. After about the hundredth time Brian told him to go have some fun Rome had started chasing bikinis, and for Rome, mostly the bikinis wanted caught.

"No, Tej, he's not running," Brian said when Tej got closer, smiling. "Bilkins already cleared him and told Dom where to find me."

"Fuckin' Fed," Rome muttered, annoyed at the amused look Dom gave him. "What's he doin' tellin' random people your business, Brian?"

"He didn't tell just _anyone_ ," Brian said quickly. "It's _Dom_." He didn't say that Bilkins knew Brian would want to see Dom, didn't think he had to. Rome and Tej both knew how he felt about Dom, and he didn't want to say it with Dom right there listening. It was bad enough Rome had already as much as told Dom that Brian thought he was hot.

"I'm with Rome on this one, baby," Tej said firmly, making Brian look at him in surprise. "Bilkins needs to keep his nose out of your business, and I'm gonna tell the dude so myself as soon as I track down his number again."

"I can help with that," Dom said with a wide smile, amused and pleased. "Got a burner in the car with his number in it."

"What you looking so _happy_ about?" Rome asked, scowling at Dom.

"I'm glad you two had Bri's back for me while I was gone," Dom said easily, managing not to let his expression change at the way Rome and Tej both glared, even though he wanted to laugh. They were both as transparent as glass, protective and territorial over Brian like they owned him or something, and he couldn't resist twisting their tails a little. "I been pretty worried about him, but you two did good. Thanks."

"Listen here, you smug _fuck_ \--" Rome started angrily, but then Brian laughed and Rome broke off to look at Brian like he grew a second head.

Brian didn't notice Rome staring at him, busy grinning at Dom as he accused, "You're enjoying provoking him _way_ too much, Dom."

Dom's smile shifted into a smirk. "I get my fun where I can these days."

"Speaking of fun," Leon said suddenly, making them all look towards his voice in surprise to see he was walking towards them, obviously very amused. "Looks like the race meet is breaking up. I didn't see any cops, folks are just heading out."

"Nah man, no cops," Rome said, giving Leon a hard searching look. "We play safe and as long as we run late and stay close to the industrial area they mostly leave us alone."

"Hey Leon," Brian said quickly before Rome could try to start trouble with Leon, moving to offer Leon his hand with a pleased smile. "Glad to see you."

Leon took Brian's hand and then surprised him by using it to haul Brian in close for a tight hug. Brian returned the embrace, closing his eyes as Leon murmured gruffly near his ear, "I missed you, brother."

"Missed you too," Brian agreed, giving Leon a squeeze and then just holding on for a moment, waiting for Leon to let go.

Leon finally released him, surprising Brian by kissing his cheek like Leon used to do with Jesse sometimes. "You're looking good, kid," Leon said with a smile. "Glad to see it."

"You too," Brian agreed, smiling. "Did all of you come?"

"Nah, just us," Leon said quickly, smiling warmly at Brian. He looked older and had been through shit, Leon could tell, but he was still the same sweet kid that Jesse had fallen so hard for, even though Brian never saw anything but Dom. Brian hadn't even really looked at _Mia_ , which Leon had wondered about back then, but it made sense to him after they knew Brian had been undercover. The thing with Mia was something Brian could forget after the job was over, but if Brian got with Dom it would be for life, Leon was sure. "Mia and Vince are back in San Diego busy planning a wedding, and Letty stayed to help." He grinned. "Girly stuff. Something about dress fittings, flowers, who the hell knows what else."

Brian grinned. "That's awesome. I kinda thought they'd end up together, the way Mia talked about him. They probably won't wanna hear it, but you gotta congratulate them for me."

"I will," Leon agreed, "but they might surprise you, kid. Han put the good word in for you. That guy Bilkins, evidently he had a lot to say to Han about you."

"Han?" Brian asked, surprised and confused.

"The buddy who did that job for Bilkins," Dom explained. Brian looked at him quickly, and Dom smiled at Brian as he went on, his dark eyes warm. "The deal Han made cleared us completely, but Bilkins told me he'd already pulled the Feds on us because a member of my team did a run for him, busted a major player out here named Verone."

Brian's eyes widened. "That ass told me that he couldn't help you!"

Leon chuckled and shook his head, making Tej and Rome give him almost identical dirty looks that made him grin. "Down, boys. Brian doesn't need protected from _us_. He's family."

Rome snorted. "Yeah, sure he is. That's why your boy left his pretty ass on the side of the road to _do time_ for him."

"Brian said he'd be fine, so I thought he'd talk his way out of it," Dom said quietly, making them all look at him. He met Rome's gaze, his brown eyes troubled and sad as he thought about it. "By the time Mia told me that they busted him, it was all over and he was already in Chino. _She_ was pissed at him then, guy she's been gone on since she was twelve ended up in Lompoc, but she was pissed even more at me. We didn't talk for a long time after that. Still don't, not really." He looked at Brian, adding softly, "He's right though, I shoulda protected you better. I've regretted not dragging you into the car with me _every day_ since I left."

"I didn't expect you to, Dom," Brian said quietly even though he'd had similar thoughts too many times to count. "I was a cop, and I betrayed ... well, pretty much everyone, even _me_. You didn't owe me anything."

"I don't agree," Dom said firmly. "Especially since I found out that you were _still_ trying to get Bilkins to give us a deal last time he talked to you." Brian looked a little surprised by that, but Dom didn't give him a chance to speak, adding, "And Rome is right, you're a damn fool not to hate me for leaving you behind, Brian. I'll owe you for the rest of my _life_ for what you went through for me."

"Is that why you're here, Dom?" Brian asked quietly, very aware of their audience. "Because you think you owe me something?"

"No, I'm here because I was too chicken shit to ever tell you why Letty and I called it quits, back before it all went to hell," Dom admitted, sure Brian would remember. Brian had offered to listen if he wanted to talk several times then, but Dom had always said he was fine with it and changed the subject. He _was_ fine with it. Letty had told them all she dumped Dom, but he had been the one to tell her it was time to stop trying. He knew she didn't love him anymore by then and he couldn't stop thinking about Brian, so he had wanted her to stop pestering him. He'd enjoyed having more free time to spend like he wanted to, in the garage with Brian.

Brian blinked, confused and not noticing the knowing way Rome and Tej looked at each other as he asked, "And you drove three thousand miles to tell me _now_?"

"I would have sooner, if I could," Dom replied, giving Brian a crooked little smile. "Bilkins just told me where to find you barely a week ago, and it's a hell of a long drive here from the ass end of Sonora, especially by way of San Diego."

Brian let out a soft little huff of a laugh, surprised. "Well, okay then. Tell me, if it's _that_ important."

"Letty dumped me because she could see I had fallen for someone else," Dom said, still smiling at Brian. "I think she probably expected a fight and make-up sex when she told me she knew, but I was tired of trying to fix something I didn't even want anymore." His smile turned a little wry. "And then everything blew up a couple weeks later, but that I wasn't expecting. I thought I'd have time to tell you."

Brian just looked at Dom for a moment, waiting for him to go on, then the warm gentle look in Dom's eyes and everything Dom had said and how he'd been acting finally made sense, his eyes going wide. "Oh."

Dom laughed, amused and fond. "Really, Brian? That's all you have to say? _'Oh'?_ "

Brian laughed too, his blue eyes suddenly bright and sparkling as he said, "It's a surprise! Cut me some slack."

"Looks like it might be a _good_ surprise, though," Dom said quietly, smiling at Brian with that warm look in his eyes still.

"He's just been gone on your stupid ass since before you nicknamed him _Buster_ , that's all," Rome said suddenly, and when Dom looked at him in surprise Rome stepped in close, suddenly almost nose to nose with Dom as he stared into Dom's eyes hard. "You hurt him, _Dominic_ , and nobody will _ever_ find your body."

"Not even a little piece of it," Tej added, giving Dom the same hard look. "We'll put your ass through a wood chipper and feed what's left to the crabs."

"Damn," Dom said with a little laugh. "That's a ... _vivid_ mental image."

"It's a _promise_ ," Tej responded quickly, still looking cold and hard.

Rome poked Dom's chest to make Dom look back at him and then added, "And you better make _damn_ sure you take care of him a hell of a lot better this time around. Our boy went through _hell_ for you."

Dom just stared into Rome's eyes a moment, calm and serious, then smiled slightly. "If I hurt him, I'll _let_ you kill me, how's that?"

"Let me, my ass!" Rome exclaimed, scowling as he gave Dom a hard shove.

Dom's eyebrows went up, a little surprised Rome was strong enough he had actually pushed him back a couple of steps, but before he could say or do anything Brian was between them. "Rome! He's just tweaking your tail, back off."

Rome scowled at Brian, taking a step back even as he said angrily, "You're gonna take _his side_ now, Brian?"

Brian rolled his eyes. "It's not taking sides to keep you two from fighting, Rome. If you tangle, _I'll_ be the one who gets hurt."

"How you figure?" Rome asked, surprised.

"'Cause I'll end up in the middle," Brian said firmly. "I won't watch you two beat each other to a pulp. I love y'all too much."

"Both of them?" Leon asked suddenly.

Brian realized what he had said then, blushing and not looking at Dom even though he could feel Dom's eyes on his back as he looked at Leon. "I knew you ran to Teopantlan, Leon."

"Aw _damn it_ , Brian," Dom said behind him, feeling it like a knife to the chest as he realized what Brian had _really_ done for them.

Brian didn't turn around at Dom's pained tone, still looking at Leon as he admitted, "They offered me a deal. Dad begged me to take it, tell them where Dom was, where you all were. I went to Chino instead."

"You stupid kid," Leon muttered, brown eyes filled with pain as he moved quickly to hug Brian again. "Most people would have turned on us as soon as we left 'em behind." He let out a little strangled noise. "Especially since you _knew_ we were guilty as hell."

Brian held on tight to Leon for a moment, looking down at Leon's shoulder so he wouldn't have to see the way Rome and Tej were both looking at him, annoyed and concerned all at once. "I couldn't. I'd rather die."

Dom suddenly grabbed Brian's shoulder then, pulling him away from Leon and turning him around as he was pulled into Dom's arms, but not before Brian saw the tears in his eyes, which made Brian slide his arms around Dom's waist to hold on. "You nearly _did_ , you idiot," he muttered raggedly, one arm tight around Brian while his other hand rested gently against Brian's hair, keeping him close. "All you went through in there, and you could have just made a call and _got_ _out_."

Rome and Tej looked at each other, surprised and frowning a little, and then Rome mouthed silently, "Rick?"

Tej shrugged, mouthing, "Told me."

Rome nodded, agreeing silently.

Dom pulled away from Brian suddenly then, shifting his grip to Brian's shoulders to hold on tightly as he looked into Brian's sad blue eyes, ignoring his own tears as he said forcefully, "Never again, you hear me?" He gave Brian a little shake when he didn't agree immediately, growling, " _Promise me_ , Brian!"

"Stay out of trouble so I won't have to," Brian countered, staring into Dom's sad, worried eyes and not at all afraid.

Dom stared into Brian's eyes a moment and then asked softly, "Do you have any idea what it does to me, knowing you let them hurt you like that _for me_?" Brian looked down, unable to meet Dom's eyes, and Dom leaned closer, resting his forehead against Brian's as he murmured, "I'm not _worth_ that, Brian. Not even close."

"You are to me," Brian admitted very quietly, moving to wrap his arms around Dom again and stepping closer.

Dom wrapped his arms around Brian, holding tight and turning his face against Brian's hair as he whispered, "You still need a fuckin' keeper."

"Lucky I got you then," Brian replied, just like he always had.

Dom let out a soft little strangled laugh and didn't say anything else, just holding Brian tightly. He had always liked hearing Brian say that before things went to hell, but he had never really understood Brian might actually _mean_ it, that he _was_ Dom's to take care of. Knowing it now made him regret that day even more. When he left Brian there by the wreck of the Charger, he'd had no idea he was leaving him to suffer a _year_ of pain and fear that Dom had earned. He had expected Mia to tell him Brian was fine the next time he could get her to take his call almost two months later, and it damn near killed him when she took great pleasure in telling him Brian was in Chino instead. Letty had told her by then that Dom was still in love with Brian, despite everything, and when Dom didn't hate Brian even after Vince ended up in Lompoc, he had nearly lost his sister for good. Mia hadn't been sure if she hated him or Brian more then, and hurting him by telling him Brian took the fall for him had been something she was particularly vindictive with.

Tej reached out to touch Rome's shoulder, giving him a sympathetic look, and Rome tried a little harder to hide how he was feeling as he smiled at Tej. "You gonna have to let me move back into the garage after all, brah. At least until he takes Bri away from us. With the team in Cali again, that won't be long."

Brian pulled away from Dom, upset and guilty. "Rome, no."

"Don't even start with me, Brian," Rome said quickly, lifting one hand to point at Brian. "I went into this knowing you're in love with him, remember? You told me before you and I were really even friends again, and I promised you before I fell into your bed that if he ever came after you, I was gonna step back."

"Yeah, but I never expected he'd really show up, Rome," Brian said softly. "I wouldn't have used you like that."

"You weren't using me," Rome scoffed. "If anything it's the other way around. I am a sexy beast and you couldn't tell me no if you _tried_ , we both know it."

"I've never had a chance to," Brian pointed out. "You've _always_ waited for it to be my idea."

"That's right, and now you're gonna be with him," Rome said firmly. "So you ain't gonna be starting that kinda thing with me anymore. After all the shit in juvie, you still went to _Chino_ for him, Brian. Don't even try to tell me you don't love him like you love breathin', cause I know when you lie, white boy, and I will kick your Twinkie ass."

Brian let out a strangled little laugh, amused even though he was hurting too, hating himself a little for hurting Rome. He could see it in Rome's eyes, even though Rome was trying hard to hide it. Brian had known him too long to be fooled. "I love you too, though."

"No shit, Sherlock," Rome agreed. "Kinda like I love you, even though you make me crazy, never puttin' yourself first. The difference is, I _also_ love women and I'll be just fine goin' straight again. I ain't givin' up my best friend, just gettin' my fine ass out of your bed."

"Putting him first is _our_ job," Dom said quietly, making Rome look at him in surprise. "I'm gonna need all the help I can get, keepin' him safe. He hasn't got the sense God gave a _rock_ sometimes."

"Hey!" Brian protested, surprised.

"Is for horses," Dom replied instantly, looking at Brian before he looked at Rome again. "I'll make you a deal, Rome. I won't try to take him away from you, if you don't try to keep him from me. Let _Brian_ figure out what he wants. Whatever that is, I'll be good as long as I can stay close. I missed him like I'd miss my arm."

Rome didn't hesitate, giving Dom a nod. "Alright, but you better get ready for it to be you. I'm his best friend-"

" _We_ ," Tej butted in firmly.

Rome nodded to Tej, then looked at Dom again. " _We_ are his best friends, but you _own_ him, an' the reason I know that is 'cause _he_ told me so."

Dom gave Leon an amused, wry little smile.

"I tried telling you, brother," Leon said, chuckling quietly. "Pretty sure everyone knew except you two."

Dom looked at Brian then, and Brian felt his face heating up. " _Own_ , huh?" Dom repeated, smiling slightly.

Brian's face felt like it was on fire. "I _said_ you were my keeper, and you never denied it."

"That's 'cause I liked the idea of keeping you so much," Dom murmured, stepping closer as he lifted his hands to either side of Brian's face, smiling. "Speak up fast if you don't want me to kiss you yet, Bri, 'cause I want to like I want to breathe right now."

"Shut up and do it then," Brian replied, and then Dom was kissing him slow and gentle and he forgot everything else for a few minutes.

 

~*~*~

 

Dom left the site of the race a little while later following two other cars. First in line was a pink convertible that Tej's little Asian spitfire of a wife, Suki, drove like she was the guy's getaway driver, which Dom supposed could be true after the wood chipper thing. He'd had people threaten his life before, but that was a new one and he was pretty sure he wouldn't be forgetting it soon, if ever. He hadn't heard any rumors that Tej was into the rough stuff, but if the guy handled problems like that, there might just not be anyone left to complain.

Rome's Spyder was right behind the pink Honda, sticking so close to Suki's tail that Dom almost wanted to check for a tow-bar because he could see Rome wasn't paying much attention to where he was driving. He spent most of the ride talking with Brian, who looked pretty upset at first but finally calmed down. Rome seemed to _feel_ Suki's little car in front of him somehow, driving with so little attention on the road that Leon joked at one point he had to be using the Force, flying around a corner at ninety without ever looking at the road because he was too busy telling Brian something that finally made him laugh and relax.

Dom stayed close behind the Spyder all the way with the Supra mostly to show he could, he and Leon both quiet other than a few comments on the way the others drove. Dom was too busy watching Brian to pay much attention to Leon, but Leon didn't mind. He was watching Brian most of the way, too. He had expected to find Brian with at least a few close friends, the kid was easy to love, but he hadn't expected two very protective black dudes who obviously were more than his friends. The wood chipper thing and how cold stone serious Tej and Rome had been about it made Leon very sure he didn't want on their bad side.

The Supra was the last into the parking lot of a garage straight out of a racer's dream, all sleek cars, shiny equipment, neon, and bright lights over everything. The neon sign high on the front of the building advertised it simply as Tej's Garage, and it was obvious that it was the place to be so late on a Friday night. There were people loitering all over the place, some in the garage but most gathered around cars out in the lot or strolling around socializing and talking trash. There were even two groups with their stereos going loud, cheering on dancers who seemed to be trying to outdo each other.

Rome was slowing to park when Brian twisted in his seat and pointed Dom towards the main garage with a smile, and Dom smiled and nodded in reply before he pulled into the empty spot next to the wash rack without hesitation. It was just about the only open spot in the place besides a narrow lane through the parking area and the places where Suki and Rome parked. The other racers had obviously known that Rome and Suki would be back for their choice parking places by the front of the building, but Dom was unexpected.

Dom got out of the Supra, looking around with a slowly widening smile at the lifts and the neatly stowed Snap-On tools, the computer equipment and the shelves of parts. Everything was clean and showed minimal wear, and the whole place had obviously been laid out by someone who worked on cars for a living, someone who _loved_ working on them. There were even tables and couches near the car bays where people could sit and hang out or watch. He looked across the Supra's sunroof at Leon after a minute, his smile widening into a grin as he said, "We died and went to Heaven, brother."

Leon grinned at him. "Sure looks that way!"

Brian walked up to them then, and Dom was surprised to see Rome and Tej walking away with Suki towards a table that cleared quickly as they approached except for a bald kid in coveralls who watched Brian, looking surprised.

Dom looked at Brian again then, smiling. "I qualify as trustworthy, I guess?"

Brian just laughed and nodded as he looked towards the table where Jimmy was staring at him as Rome said something, dropping into a chair and then looking back at Brian. Rome was still trying to hide it, but Brian knew it was going to be rough on them both to adjust to such a sudden change in their relationship. Rome picked up girls and went home with them pretty often once they realized Brian could sleep alone again, but they were usually together during the day and Rome came back to Brian a lot of nights too. They didn't have sex very often like they did right after Tej and Suki got engaged, but that just seemed to make it mean a little more when they did.

Brian hadn't slept with anyone but Rome in nearly two years, but Dom suddenly dropping into the mix would change everything, _had to_ change it all. Even after so long apart, as soon as Brian saw Dom watching him it all came flooding back like it was yesterday. He was still Dom's, he always had been, he just hadn't ever really expected Dom return his feelings or come looking for him. That he had, that he came so far the _moment_ he found out he safely could, told Brian everything he needed to know. Once Dom kissed him, he had no doubt where he wanted Dom to be that night, if Dom was willing.

Dom reached out to touch Brian's arm gently, making Brian look at him in surprise as he asked softly, "You okay?"

"Yeah," Brian replied quickly, smiling crookedly at the warmth and concern in Dom's eyes. "I'm good. Just, there's a lot going on tonight, that's all. I was thinking about what'll change."

Dom smiled, relieved. "Only what you _want_ to change, Bri."

Brian smiled wider, blue eyes sparkling and warm as he changed the subject. "Come on, I want to introduce you to my ladies."

Dom laughed, surprised. "Ladies?"

Brian grinned. "Just come on." He looked across the Supra at Leon, who was watching them with a pleased smile, and added, "You too, bro."

Brian turned away and headed for his bay in the back, eager to show Dom and Leon the Mustang and Skyline that Rome had called his ladies so often that it stuck. Every racer in Miami knew what cars someone who mentioned Bullitt's ladies was talking about, and those closer to him even knew which one was meant when someone talked about his baby or his lady. The Skyline was awesome, he loved her, but Tej had dubbed her his lady on the side early on and it was pretty close to how Brian actually felt. The Mustang was his baby, his favorite of all the cars he drove by a wide margin, and she was just about the only thing he had ever felt possessive enough over not to share her freely with his friends. Rome had driven her a few times, and Jimmy had twice, but Suki had never even asked and Tej always rode shotgun, so mostly if Brian wasn't behind the wheel she was safely tucked into her bay in the garage.

Dom moved to follow at Brian's shoulder, amused and curious, and Leon hurried to follow them as Brian led the way to a walk-thru door at the back of the garage, next to a closed bay door. Brian opened the door for them, blue eyes sparkling happily, but he didn't say anything as they stepped into the darkened room. Brian hit the lights a moment later as he pulled the door closed behind them, and then Dom just stared.

The bay would have been roomy for one car, but it was kind of crowded with two cars parked in it, though Dom barely noticed. He was too busy letting his gaze roam over the shining silver Mustang closest to him, taking in every detail. Dom had always loved the look of a classic Mustang, but he wasn't sure he had _ever_ seen one so beautiful. She was a '69 Mach 1 Fastback in a flawless pale silver with just enough of a fine metal fleck to it that made her shimmer in the bright lights, the dark navy racing stripe over the top and stripes low down on the sides standing out vividly.

Leon gave the Mustang a quick visual once-over but then he moved straight to the Skyline, eyes wide above an awed grin as he asked, "These are _yours_ , Bri?" The Skyline was much more his speed, sleek and shining with a slightly modified body he knew would make her even faster than most Skylines, which were already nice cars to start with.

"Yeah," Brian replied, grinning as he watched their reactions. Dom moved towards the Mustang and then started to stroke his fingertips over her paint, and Brian added, "Bought the Mustang next to a junkyard the day I got out of Chino, did all the work on her myself. She looked like shit when I started, just a project car with horrible paint and some pretty big dents to the passenger side, but she had a nearly new V-8 and I needed something to keep me busy then. Spent the next two months on her, working on her or racing her to pay for more parts, and by the time I headed out here she was winning enough that people were starting to call me Bullitt."

Dom looked at Brian again then, smiling wide with his dark eyes warm. "You did good. She's one of the sexiest things I ever saw."

Brian let out a soft little surprised laugh and then teased, "I didn't know you liked Mustangs like _that_ , Dom."

Dom grinned. "For her, I'd make an exception." He looked back at the Mustang one more time, letting out a soft low noise he couldn't quite contain, then added, "You _gotta_ let me drive her sometime."

"If you think looking at her is that good, you better bring an extra pair of jeans," Brian teased, grinning wide and smug. It didn't even occur to him to say no, not the way Dom was looking as her. Brian wanted to see Dom drive her, to watch him find out that as beautiful as she was, it still didn't even hint at how amazing she was to drive.

Dom laughed, lifting one hand to rub at his jaw as he admitted, "If she handles as good as she looks, probably not a bad plan."

Leon snickered. "You can drool over that pony all you want, Dom, but _I_ want the story on the Skyline. She is _mint_."

Brian laughed and moved over to see the Skyline better, putting his hand into this pocket for his keys as he watched Leon lean down to look in the driver's window. "Leon, head's up." Leon looked up, surprised, and Brian tossed him the keys with a grin. "Fire her up if you want, she's the fastest thing in Miami. Tej bought her as a little extra incentive when he hunted me down to ask me to come drive for him, couple years ago. He and Jimmy had just gotten her when I got here, and then me and Jimmy played with her for a while before Tej got her repainted to match my baby and declared her done. She was top car in Miami until she got fried by a Customs agent named Markham, hit her with a kind of electro shock spear when he was bringing me in to bully me into doing that job for Bilkins. I thought she was done for, all the computer stuff was fried, but my Dad, he had a screaming fit about Customs killing a car Tej and I had put so much money into, and Bilkins got behind him enough on it that Customs got her running again. We still had to rebuild a lot before she was fit to _race_ again, spent way more than she's worth on it, but by then I loved her too much to give up. She's the fastest thing I ever drove again now."

"I bet, she's beautiful," Leon said, leaning on the side of the Skyline and watching Brian with a smile. "Sounds like you've been keeping busy out here."

"Always plenty of cars to play with," Brian agreed, smiling at Leon. "I don't get to drop into street races so much anymore, not with my own cars anyway, but Rome and I hit the highway when we get bored and the cops mostly just let us play, they know our cars now and that we won't hurt anyone. There's a place down in Keys we go to pretty often, best seafood restaurant I've found yet, and right on the water. Suki loves it so much she feels mistreated if she doesn't get down there twice a week, and we all enjoy the drive so we don't argue with her much when she declares dinner is in Islamorada."

Leon smiled. "I'm glad you've been happy since you got out, brother. When I heard you were in Chino, I was worried sick about you even making it out alive."

Brian's happy smile faded as he admitted, "Chino messed me up pretty bad, I won't lie. I was still shaky when I got here a couple months later, couldn't take sleeping alone for over a year because the nightmares were so bad, but Tej and Rome took care of me, kept me sane. I don't think about it much anymore now, life's too good. I haven't had a nightmare in months. "

"Consider it forgotten then," Leon said quickly, giving Brian a reassuring smile, then he reached to unlock the Skyline's door, asking, "Think we can take a run in this beauty tomorrow? I'd love to see her fly."

"You can drive her," Brian offered instantly, making Leon look at him in surprise. Brian grinned. "What? You were a way better driver than me when we met. I kinda doubt you've gotten _worse_."

Leon laughed, still surprised. "I do okay, but damn, Bri. You've put a lot into her."

"I can't be in two cars at once," Brian pointed out, amused. "I want to watch Dom drive my baby, so you might as well enjoy the Skyline. I trust you."

Dom touched Brian's back then and Brian realized he had walked up close to him, his dark eyes warm and sparkling as he murmured, "You're gonna trust us with both your ladies? Just like that?"

"Anything I got, I trust you with," Brian replied just as quietly as he turned more towards Dom, smiling and enjoying the way Dom was looking at him. "You wouldn't drive all this way, say the things you have, and then hurt me."

Dom let out a soft low noise, then murmured, "Talking like that, how am I supposed to resist you?" He didn't wait for Brian to reply, leaning closer to kiss him slow and easy.

The door opened suddenly a few minutes later and Rome walked in with a six-pack of Corona beer, stopping when he saw Brian and Dom pull apart to look at him. "Figured your guy and his buddy would want these." He lifted the six pack, his dark eyes a little surprised even though he smiled at them. "I'm heading out."

Brian pulled away from Dom and walked over to Rome, frowning. "You don't have to go."

"I know, but Rachel's been all over me since we got in, baby, and you know how I like her," Rome said easily with a smile, almost managing to look normal enough Brian believed it. Rome could tell Brian saw he wasn't quite as happy as he pretended to be, adding, "It's all good, stop _worryin'_ over me. I'm a big boy." He offered Brian the beer. "You owe Jimmy a six."

Brian sighed and took the beer, saying firmly, "We're _gonna_ talk more about this."

"Probably," Rome agreed, "but not while Rach is waitin' to blow my mind." He turned away. "I'll see you at breakfast."

"You better," Brian said firmly, watching as Rome lifted one hand in a wave and walked quickly out the door, closing it behind him. Brian turned and moved to sit the six-pack on the bench along one wall near the small fridge that held Brian's own stash of hard lemonades and a few bottles of Islamorada Ale as he asked, "You guys want a beer? They're good and cold, Jimmy keeps his Coronas in the back of the SoBe cooler."

"Sure," Dom agreed, watching Brian closely, the cars forgotten for the moment. Rome had seemed to be fine to Dom, but Brian obviously had seen something different and felt bad about it.

"I'll take one too, if I can drink in your car," Leon agreed, already sitting in the Skyline while he familiarized himself with how she was set up.

Brian popped the tops off of two beers, walking over to pass one to Dom on the way to hand the other one to Leon. "Just don't spill it in there or _you're_ detailing her."

Leon grinned. "I promise the beer will go inside me."

Brian smiled, amused. "Enjoy, then."

Dom walked over to join them, not even thinking about it was he rested his hand on Brian's back again, finally looking over the Skyline. "She's a nice car, Bri."

Brian looked at Dom, smiling wider and pleased. "Glad you like her. She's not American muscle, but she'll keep up, for sure."

"You got her all tricked out, looks like," Leon said, scrolling through the computer system, his Corona in his free hand. "Sick system."

"That's all Tej, he's one of the best," Brian said, watching Leon as he leaned back a little bit into Dom's hand. "He can do things with a computer that you wouldn't believe."

"Nice," Leon said, looking at Brian with a quick smile. "Gonna have to bring my next car to him, I suck at that part."

"Me too," Brian agreed. "I'm okay under the hood, but when it comes to the computers I just call Tej or Jimmy and get out of the way."

"Jimmy?" Dom asked quietly, watching Brian with a warm smile.

Brian smiled at the look in Dom's eyes, enjoying the way Dom never glanced away, not even to sip at his beer. It reminded him of that day on the Pacific coast highway when Dom had spent hours with him, barely seeming to notice the people around them. "The little bald guy who was waiting on us when we got in. He's always around pretty much, if not in the garage then upstairs in the bunk room or off doing something for Tej. Jimmy's family, and the best mechanic on the east coast. If he can't fix it, it's not fixable."

Dom's eyebrows rose a little and he smiled wider. "Where'd Tej find him?"

"On the circuit," Brian replied, still smiling. "Jimmy was Tej's crew chief the last year he was running pro and Tej says he's why he won so much, but Jimmy was already talking about quitting when Tej went into that wall. They were buddies even before Jimmy started working for Tej, and when Tej had to quit Jimmy left with him to help him out, starting over. They moved around a few years, checking out different cities and garages and looking for somewhere that felt like home, and then they hit Miami and that was all she wrote."

"Yknow, I was surprised to see Tej on his feet," Dom said, watching Brian. "After he got hurt, word was he ended up in a wheelchair."

"He did for about six months," Brian agreed, looking a little sad at the thought. "It was rough on him. He doesn't talk about it even with me, but Jimmy, he says Tej was in a lot of pain for a long time. Going by the scars, I don't doubt it. Jimmy wasn't sure Tej would really make it until they finally found a doc that could do some nerve blocks and put the knee back together. It still hurts him, and he can't work the gas and clutch anymore to really race, not for more than a few minutes anyway, but he can drive and walk again and he's happy to have that much."

"Why not just do a knee replacement?" Dom asked, curious.

"Bone was too messed up, from what Jimmy says," Brian replied. "The leg was shattered in the wreck. It's held together mostly with hardware and stubbornness."

"Had to be hell," Leon said quietly, making Dom and Brian both look at him. "I think that's probably the only thing that scares me about driving fast. Not _dying_ , but getting too hurt to enjoy life anymore, y'know?"

Dom nodded. "Same here, brother."

"I never really think about that in a car," Brian admitted, making them both look at him in surprise. "Bad shit that could happen never hits me even when it's rough unless someone makes me think about it. When I'm driving fast, that's when I feel _free_ , not scared." He looked at Dom, smiling softly. "Though usually for more than a quarter mile."

Dom looked into Brian's eyes a moment, smiling slightly, then murmured, "I wish I had known then."

" _I_ wish I'd had the guts to go for the Toretto I wanted," Brian said quietly. "It wasn't _Mia_ I spotted on the street the day after a race and followed to the market."

"Was that before or after you went under?" Dom asked softly, looking into Brian's eyes.

Brian told Dom the truth. "Before." He hesitated and then added, "I was working patrol then, graveyard shift, and Dad was always giving me hell for going to watch the races before work most nights. Then I saw your Mazda coast by me one day on my way home from work, and I started eating the worst tuna sandwiches on the _planet_ because Mia said it was the special that first time."

Dom just stared into Brian's blue eyes. "How did you end up on the case?"

"Surveillance saw me there and Bilkins ran my record," Brian replied. "Then they wanted me to get closer, so I started flirting with Mia. I didn't like hurting her, hated myself for letting Bilkins push me into sleeping with her, but I knew I could live with it if she never wanted to see me again when it was all over."

Dom couldn't find the words to say anything. He had too much going through his head for him to even make sense of it, much less explain it. None of it seemed to matter as much as the urge to kiss Brian, though, so he decided talking was over rated and leaned to kiss Brian again.

Leon looked down at his beer, smiling a little. It was always good to be right, even if nobody else knew.

 

~*~*~

 

After a while Dom followed Brian back out into the main bay to go spend some time with Brian's friends, Leon trailing along behind them. Most of the people who had been loitering had cleared out, and a glance out at the parking lot showed it was mostly empty too, which made Dom wonder how late it was. He knew it was after two when they got back, but he had no idea how long he and Brian had stood in there kissing while Leon played with the Skyline's computer.

Tej was sitting at his table with Suki in his lap, Jimmy to his left. Three of Suki's friends were in the other chairs at the table, but they said good night and got up to go when they saw Brian approaching. Everyone knew that Tej's table _always_ would have room for Brian, even if that meant Tej had to tell someone else to leave.

Brian moved to the chair next to Tej and Suki, leaning to kiss Suki lightly and then dropping into the chair as he asked with a smile, "What'd we miss?"

Suki was smiling until she licked her lips, then she made a face. "Eww, Brian! Nasty. I thought you didn't even _like_ Corona."

Brain laughed, looking away towards Dom. "Sometimes it's not so bad."

Dom smirked slightly, sitting in the chair next to Brian and then sipping at his second beer, his gaze never leaving Brian's eyes.

Suki giggled suddenly. "Oh, so it's like _that_ , huh?" She reached over to poke Brian's shoulder, teasing, "You been in there making out all this time, baby?"

Brian grinned at Suki, his cheeks still a little pink. "Not _all_ the time. I had to introduce them to the ladies." He looked at Dom again then, teasing, "And someone _really_ likes my baby."

"She was the second sexiest thing in the room," Dom agreed, still smirking slightly.

Brian laughed, surprised. "I didn't think you liked the Skyline that much."

"I didn't," Dom agreed, smirking wider at how that made Brian's eyes widen a little as he figured it out, surprised and then pleased despite the way he blushed a little redder. Dom looked at Suki and Tej then, changing the subject as he said easily, "You got an awesome place here, Tej."

Leon nodded, grinning. "Street racer's Heaven, for sure."

"Thanks, we like it," Tej agreed, smiling even though he wasn't sure he liked how fast Brian was moving with Dom. "We stay pretty busy."

"Need another mechanic?" Dom asked, smiling back at Tej. "I'll be around anyway, might as well make myself useful."

"I thought you'd want to go home," Brian said, surprised.

Dom looked at Brian, smiling at his surprise and concern. "I learned something, the last few years. Home's not always a _place_."

"Not even the house?" Brian asked quietly, still surprised and starting to be a little confused. He was _sure_ Dom had been glad to find out Tej had bought it.

"I love the house," Dom agreed, "and it means the world to me that it's not completely lost, but if I gotta choose between a _building_ and you, home's wherever _you_ are."

Brian stared into Dom's eyes for a moment with a sudden smile, blue eyes bright and sparkling again, and then he suddenly lifted up out of his chair and leaned towards Dom as he teased, "You're determined to make me _like_ Corona."

Dom was chuckling slightly as Brian kissed him, kissing back until Brian pulled away. He smirked at Brian then and pointed out, "You always drank it before."

"Only for you," Brian admitted, sitting down again and looking amused and happy. "I'm not sure you even _know_ there are other kinds of beer."

"Bri's more of a hard lemonade kind of guy," Suki said then, making them look at her. She was grinning and happy, relaxing in Tej's lap as she watched Brian and Dom. "He drinks it like water half the time."

Dom laughed, looking at Brian as he teased, "Fruity girl drinks, really?"

Brian laughed. "Tastes better than that stuff you like," he said quickly, grinning. "Besides, I've always been a little fruity, ask Tej."

Tej snickered and Dom looked at him, amused. Tej was ignoring Dom, looking at Brian as he smirked and said, "Nah, not fruity, but sweet, for sure."

"I still can't believe you let anyone call you Twinkie," Dom said as he looked back at Brian, grinning.

"Like I ever got a choice!" Brian exclaimed, laughing. "He's been calling me that since I was _seventeen_. I gave up kicking his ass for it after a _year_ , he just laughed at me."

"That's 'cause you _are_ a Twinkie, baby boy," Tej said easily, smirking at Brian. "You may be a lot more buff now, but you're still just as golden with that sweet, fluffy white center."

Leon laughed. "I thought y'all were talking about him being a twink back then." Tej and Brian both looked at Leon, confused, and Dom chuckled, taking a sip of his beer. Leon laughed again and looked at Brian, brown eyes full of amusement as he teased, "You don't know what a twink is, kid?"

"Evidently not," Brian said, bemused.

Suki giggled. "People call pretty gay bottom boys twinks, Bri." Brian let out a strangled little laugh, blushing, and she giggled again, adding, "I thought you _knew_ that. I mean, he calls you his _baby boy_."

"That's just _Tej_!" Brian said, still red-faced and on the edge of laughing. "He was calling me stuff like that forever before we ever even had sex!"

Tej snickered even though he was a little embarrassed too, thinking it explained the way some of his friends looked at him different back then after he introduced them to Brian. "Hell, it's still true. You're about as straight as a wheel, Bri, and you were _definitely_ pretty back then, all long legged and golden with those _eyes_ of yours."

"Still is," Dom pointed out, amused. Brian looked at him, still blushing, and Dom smiled as he looked into Brian's eyes and added, "Though I'd have to say beautiful."

Brian smiled, looking pleased and shy, and Suki said cheerfully, "You'll do, Dom." Dom looked at her, laughing and surprised, and she smirked at him. "I wasn't sure anyone could be good enough for Brian, not after Rome went back to girls, but you seem to know how lucky you are."

"Luckiest day of my life was the day he followed me home," Dom agreed, amused by her spunk.

"Glad you know that," Tej said firmly, giving Dom a level look. "He fell for you like a ton of bricks back then, man."

"I felt the same way," Dom admitted, his smile turning wry. "Like I told Bilkins when he asked me why I didn't say anything, I thought I'd have time. I wasn't planning to ever let him get away, until I stopped being the one in charge." He looked at Brian, adding more softly, "I went when he told me to."

"I couldn't stand seeing you go down, even if you were guilty," Brian said, reaching for Dom's hand without really thinking about it. "I knew how you felt about Lompoc, and after the hell I went through in juvie, I couldn't send you somewhere even worse."

Dom shifted their hands to lace their fingers together, giving Brian's hand a gentle squeeze as he said softly, "If one of us had to do the time, I wish it had been me."

"I don't," Brian said quietly.

Tej watched them looking at each other for a few moments and then said firmly, "Next time, neither one of your stupid asses is gonna do time."

Brian smiled, giving Tej an amused look while Dom stared at Tej, eyebrows up, and asked, "Next time?"

"Please, Brian told me _everything_ ," Tej said with a soft snort. "You are _gonna_ get into trouble again sooner or later over that team of yours, you're both crazy enough to do anything for them."

Dom looked at Brian, amused, and Brian gave him a crooked little smile. "Probably Letty, or Vince."

Dom snorted, amused. "Vince is _whipped_ now. He's wrapped around Mia's little finger so tight he doesn't _cuss_ anymore." He grinned. "She's even got him dressing up and taking her to _Mass_."

Brian laughed. "Letty then. She's always been wilder than you are."

"Lord knows I love the girl, but she gets her pretty little ass into trouble again and _she_ can make a deal with Bilkins," Dom said firmly, amused. "I told her I was done, and I meant it. Keeping her out of trouble isn't my job anymore."

Brian smiled. "So what is?"

"Making sure you're happy," Dom replied softly, giving Brian's hand a squeeze.

Brian's smile widened, his blue eyes sparkling. "They do say the best kind of job to have is one you're good at."

Dom smirked. "You don't even know how good yet."

"I bet I enjoy finding out," Brian replied with a wide grin, blue eyes bright and happy.

Tej watched them look at each other a few moments and then laughed, patting Suki's hip. "C'mon, baby girl. Time to head home. It's late."

Suki giggled and jumped up, leaning down to catch Brian's eye before she said with a sweet smile, "I'm glad he finally followed you, baby." She kissed Brian softly, then added, "G'night."

"Night, baby girl," Brian replied, smiling wide and happy.

Suki started walking away towards her car and Tej moved to put his hand on Brian's shoulder, giving it a squeeze as he looked down into Brian's eyes and murmured with a soft smile, "I'm glad you're happy, baby."

"Thanks, Tej," Brian replied softly, his smile softening to something sweet and gentle. "It's all 'cause of you, though. I would have died after Chino if not for you. You saved my life and never even knew."

"I knew, but I did that for _me_ ," Tej murmured, leaning down to kiss Brian's forehead lightly and then starting to walk away. "Just let me watch you be happy, baby boy, that's all I ever wanted."

"Deal," Brian agreed, watching him go and then looking back at Dom with a smile. "It _is_ pretty late."

"Yeah, it is," Dom agreed, smiling back at Brian as he set his beer on the table and then looking at Leon as he dug the Supra's keys out of his pocket to pass them over. "You're gonna need these, not me."

"I figured," Leon agreed, smiling as he took the keys. "Gonna be fun finding the hotel from here."

Dom grinned. "Better you than me."

Brian snickered. "There's bunks upstairs if you want to stay, Leon."

"Nah man, I gotta go get our stuff anyway," Leon said, smiling as he stood up. He stepped behind Dom, wrapping an arm around his neck and kissing the top of his head, then moved to do the same to Brian. "Night, my brothers."

"G'night bro," Brian agreed, smiling.

"Good night," Dom echoed with a smile as he turned his head to watch Leon walk away. "Stay out of trouble."

"Always, big dog," Leon agreed, grinning as he glanced back. "I'm the sweet innocent one, remember?"

Dom laughed. "Sure you are!"

The Supra was pulling out a few moments later and then Brian finally let go of Dom's hand and stood, looking across the table at Jimmy as he smiled and said, "Night."

"Night Bullitt," Jimmy responded, smiling. "And don't worry about Rome, he's gonna be okay."

"You're sure?" Brian asked, surprised.

Jimmy nodded. "He'll have to get used to it, but seeing you happy like you been tonight? He's gonna be all for it." He grinned. "Especially since Suki told her girls to spread the word you broke his heart. You weren't out here then, but he ended up going home with Rachel _and_ Kali, and dude was _not_ thinking about you, I promise."

Dom snickered, amused, and stood up as he reached for his nearly empty beer. "Good deal."

Brian laughed, relieved and nodding. "I'll have to thank Suki."

"You're gonna end up taking her to lunch tomorrow if you do," Jimmy pointed out.

Brian grinned, reaching to grab Dom's hand again and then starting to lead him towards the back as he said cheerfully, "We're going for a run anyway to let Dom try out my baby, might as well let her come along."

Jimmy just laughed, getting up to head towards the lot to look over the cars and see which one he wanted to play with. He wasn't even close to tired yet.

Dom drained the beer as he followed Brian through the garage, dropping the bottle in a trash barrel by the back door just before they stepped outside. He smiled when he realized they were right on the edge of a canal, on a strip of concrete about ten feet wide with a wooden pier beyond that running along the water. "Nice."

Brian looked back at him, smiling. "Yeah, I love it here." He led the way along the back of the building to his houseboat as he added quietly, "It's gotten so I can't really sleep unless I'm on my boat. Got too used to the water, I guess."

Dom followed Brian onto the boat, smiling as he admitted, "Never been on one before, myself."

Brian stopped at the doorway, surprised. "Will it bother you?"

"As long as I'm with you, I'm good," Dom murmured, stepping closer to Brian to kiss him softly.

Brian let go of Dom's hand, reaching to put his hands on either side of Dom's waist as he returned the kiss, waiting for Dom to end it before he murmured, "Nowhere else I want you to be."

"Glad to hear it," Dom whispered, smiling as he slid his arms around Brian, pulling him closer as they kissed again.

 

~*~*~

 

Brian woke up slowly the next morning, smiling even before his eyes opened as he enjoyed feeling so warm and comfortable, sure for a moment he could still smell Dom there close to him. He didn't have many truly _great_ dreams, but last night's had definitely been a winner, dreaming that Dom came after him and asked if he could spend his life making Brian happy. It was the best dream Brian ever had, and that was before it even got to the scorching hot sex. Brian woke up feeling so relaxed and satisfied, it might as well have been real.

Dom was propped up on one elbow next to Brian, leaning his temple on his fist and watching Brian with a soft little smile as he reached out to run his fingers through Brian's unruly golden curls. Brian's eyes sprang open as he turned his head to stare at Dom, obviously surprised, and Dom's lips twitched into a little smirk. "Forgot I was here, huh?"

"I thought it was all a dream," Brian admitted without thinking, still staring at Dom.

Dom's smile softened, his brown eyes gentle and loving as he murmured, "It wasn't a dream, Bri. I'm really here." He leaned to kiss Brian softly, letting out a low purring growl when Brian rolled to his back and reached for Dom to urge him closer, lips parting against Dom's. Dom accepted the invitation, deepening the kiss to explore Brian's mouth slowly as he shifted to lean over him, one hand cupping the side of Brian's head lightly.

They were both breathing hard when Dom finally pulled away to look down into Brian's sparkling eyes, loving the heat and happiness he saw there as Brian grinned suddenly and murmured, "It _is_ real. Dreams don't taste like stale Corona."

Dom laughed. "Smartass."

Brian grinned a little wider, lifting one hand to trace his fingertips along Dom's cheek and jaw as he murmured, "But I'm _your_ smartass."

"Lucky me," Dom murmured, smiling as he leaned down to kiss Brian again.

Brian hummed happily into the kiss, his hand settling at the back of Dom's neck as he tightened the other arm around Dom's back, urging him closer. Dom shifted his weight to slide one knee between Brian's thighs and then settled over him like a blanket, smiling against Brian's lips at his low happy groan.

Brian lifted one leg to hook around Dom's waist a few minutes later, hips lifting to rub their erections together slow and dirty, and it was Dom's turn to groan as he shifted again, settling between Brian's thighs. As soon as his other leg wasn't pinned down anymore Brian lifted it to lock his ankles together behind Dom's waist, just holding on to enjoy the ride as Dom started to thrust against him slow and easy, kissing him like he just might have Brian for breakfast.

Brian was totally okay with that plan.

 

~*~*~

 

Dom was sprawled in one of the chairs in the garage with a mug of coffee, smiling and watching Brian and Leon talk between bites of the donuts Leon had brought when he showed up around nine. He hadn't noticed Tej arrive, so it was a surprise when Tej stuck an envelope in front of his face, labeled simply '1327' in a haphazard scrawl.

Dom took the envelope, looking at Tej in surprise. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Prob'ly," Tej said easily, moving to take the last Bavarian cream donut right out of Brian's hand and then heading towards the coffee machine as he took a big bite.

"Thief," Brian said, his blue eyes bright with amusement as he watched Tej go.

Tej smirked and lifted his free hand to flip Brian off, making him laugh.

A car pulled into the lot moving fast, drawing their attention to Rome's Spyder as he swung it into a power slide across the empty lot, sliding to a stop and then backing it up neatly next to the Supra Leon had parked out front. Rome got out and started to walk towards them, and Brian's smile widened into a pleased grin as he saw how happy Rome looked. He was walking with that swagger that always showed up when he was feeling particularly smug and pleased with himself, a tall coffee in one hand and a bag in the other.

"What is it, Dom?" Leon asked curiously then, and Brian looked back at Dom, grinning.

Dom set his coffee down, still looking at Brian a bit wide-eyed, and Brian's eyes sparkled with amusement as he said cheerfully, "That's how he showed it to me too. Just dropped it by my breakfast one morning on his way to get some coffee like it was no big deal."

Dom laughed slightly, looking at the envelope as he opened it and pulled out the folded paper inside. It _was_ the deed to the house his grandfather built so long ago, but when he saw the name on the deed he looked at Brian quickly in surprise. "I thought you said _he_ bought it?"

"He did," Brian replied, grin softening into a fond smile as he looked towards where Tej was refilling the coffee pot, then back at Dom. "I also told you that the guy who owns it would sell it for you."

" _You_ own it," Dom said slowly.

Brian's smile widened. "I'll make you a good deal."

Rome reached the table then, setting down his coffee and the bag of breakfast burritos at the chair next to Brian's. He leaned closer to Brian, reaching out to touch the back of Brian's neck lightly as he kissed Brian's forehead and then he flopped into his chair, saying cheerfully, "Mornin'."

Brian grinned at Rome, bright and happy. "Morning."

"A deal on _what_?" Leon asked, looking from Dom to Brian and back again.

Dom looked at Leon. "Tej bought the house, when Mia sold it. It's in Brian's name now."

Leon's eyes went wide, looking at Brian. "Dude! Seriously?!"

Brian nodded, grinning at Leon's reaction. "I saw the for sale sign on it the day I got out of Chino. I told Tej about it when he had me telling him everything right after I got here, and then next thing I knew he'd bought it." He looked back at Dom, adding, "It was in his name at first. He transferred it after so Mia wouldn't know it was for you." His smile softened, correcting himself, "For _us_. It felt like home to me, too."

Rome's cheerful smile faded a little and he reached for his bag, opening it to take out a breakfast burrito. He didn't want to move back to California, but he had already decided he was going wherever Brian did. If that meant he'd have to follow Dom around with him, then he was gonna do it. He could give up having Brian in his bed, he really _did_ consider himself straight even though he had never been able to resist Brian, but he wasn't giving up his best friend again for anyone or anything in the world. People talked about someone being their better half, joking mostly, but Rome was sure Brian really _was_ his. He couldn't go back to how his life was without Brian, always alone and angry at the world because of it, doing stupid shit just to try and feel alive.

Tej walked back to the table to join them with the last mug of coffee out of the first pot, looking seriously at Brian as he sat in the remaining chair between Dom and Leon. "Baby boy, you know I love you, but I'm not askin' Suki and Jimmy to pack up and move to Cali. Jimmy and I, we looked for a couple _years_ to find this place. It's _home_."

Brian looked at Tej and said quickly, "I know that, Tej. I love it here too." He looked at Dom, adding, "I just know Dom misses the house, too."

Dom shook his head, reaching out to drop the deed on the table as he met Brian's gaze. "Home for me is with _you_ , Bri, I told you that. It'd do me good to start over." He looked at Tej, adding, "I don't have words for what it means to me, you saving the house, but if I gotta choose, I'll choose Brian."

Tej smiled, relieved and pleased. "Glad to hear it."

"You could always do both," Leon pointed out, making everyone look at him. "Spend time in both places."

Dom didn't even need to think about that, hoping he could make Leon understand. "There's nothing for me back there except the house, Leon, and after all this time, I finally figured out it's just a house. I'd like it to stay in the family if I can swing it, but I don't know I'll ever want to go back."

"What about the team, Dom?" Leon asked softly.

"You know as well as I do that they don't really want me around now," Dom said. " _You_ want to be with us, brother, but Mia and Vince, they're likely never gonna to listen to reason and Letty will be the same way once she knows Brian didn't break my heart like she hoped he would. If I take him back there they'd make his life hell, and I'd end up hating them for it and bringing him back here anyway. Better to just let it go and start fresh without that between us."

"You that sure, brah?" Rome asked, making them all look at him. "You gonna give up that team of yours for him, your _family_ , just like that?" He was looking at Dom intently, and took a bite of his burrito as he waited for an answer.

Dom met Rome's gaze and said quietly but firmly, "I'd give up _everything_ for him, Rome."

Rome looked at Dom a moment more, then smiled and looked at Brian. "Not as dumb about him as I thought you were, baby."

Dom's eyebrows rose as he let out a soft little surprised laugh as Brian gave Rome a wry look and said, " _I_ knew that, but thanks."

Leon had been watching in silence, thinking about what Dom said and how the team would react if Dom brought Brian back with him. They _would_ treat him like crap, especially at first, and Leon wasn't sure they could _ever_ really accept Brian as part of the family. There was too much bad blood, too much that Mia, Vince, and Letty blamed Brian for even though none of it was really his fault. Brian didn't deserve how they hated him, he never had, but he would do _anything_ for Dom, even if it killed him. He had proven that in spades by going to Chino for them. Leon was sure that if Brian thought it would make Dom happy, he would take whatever abuse Mia, Letty, and Vince dished out, even though Vince could be downright cruel and Mia and Letty were nearly as bad.

Leon didn't want that for Brian any more than Dom did, the kid had already paid hard enough for how loyal he was to them, and he suddenly realized his decision was made. He looked at Tej and asked, "You know anyone that needs a mechanic? I can get by on anything but programming the more complicated computer stuff. Dom, he's a walking encyclopedia of cars and loves playing with _anything_ , but I'm best with the imports. That's my thing."

"There's always room here for _family_ ," Tej said firmly, a little surprised. He had been sure Leon was going to want to go back to California, the way the guy was talking. "I know you had my boy's back pretty much from the day he met you, bro. You want a job, you got one. You can bunk here, there's room upstairs, or I got another houseboat I could move in, or one of my rent houses."

"Upstairs here would be great, thanks," Leon said, smiling at Tej. "I'd like to stick close, and I don't need much, just a place to sleep. I'll wanna be _here_ anyway." He grinned. "I'm just as much of a grease monkey as Bri is, I just hide it better. I'll be happy as a clam workin' fourteen hour days if you need it."

Tej laughed. "I'll be glad to hire you on, we always have more work than we can handle, but we only do eight hours a day on the clock, man. Ten to six. Anything after that is playtime. You're welcome to take work after six, use the garage, but _you_ figure out what you wanna charge then, I'm not in it."

Leon grinned. "Works for me, boss." He looked back at Dom. "Next question is, are we going to the wedding?"

"Up to Mia," Dom answered immediately. "It's her wedding, not mine." He smiled at Leon, warm and grateful. "I'm glad you still wanna stick with us though, brother. Not sure I remember how to live without you hanging around to hit me with a clue-by-four once in a while."

Leon grinned. "Lucky for you, I'm not gonna make you learn."

Brian reached over to grab Leon's shoulder for a minute, grinning. "Gonna be great having you here. You'll love Miami."

"Already do," Leon agreed, reaching for a donut with a wide grin. "Best donuts I had in years."

Brian and Dom both laughed at that, and Tej looked at Rome. "Joy. Another one ruled by his gut."

Rome smirked at Tej, unwrapping a second burrito filled with eggs, sausage, cheese, and potatoes. "You just wish you could eat like I do and still look this good, brah."

Tej just laughed. He wasn't about to admit it was true.

They all heard the sound of an approaching car and looked towards the lot, where a dark green Jeep Grand Cherokee was just pulling up at the edge of the main bay. Rick was driving and looked more than a little worried and a bit annoyed too, his door already open even before he got the engine shut off.

Tej laughed as he looked back at Brian and teased, "Looks like word's out."

Brian gave Tej a wry smile, then looked at Dom. "I'm not sure how happy he's gonna be."

"Who?" Dom asked, smiling. He heard a car door slam but didn't look, more interested in Brian than in whoever the guy in the Grand Cherokee was.

Brian just laughed and stood, still looking a bit wry as he looked towards Rick, who was approaching him quickly. "Morning, Dad."

Dom's eyebrows rose a little, but he was mostly amused. Brian's dad looked nothing like him, shorter, mostly bald, and kind of geeky with a stockier build than Brian had.

Rick walked up to Brian and hugged him, then looked at the others. "Morning."

Tej smiled and nodded to Rick, and Rome lifted his free hand in a wave, his mouth full of burrito.

"Mornin'," Leon said cheerfully, reaching for his Mountain Dew.

Rick's gaze stopped on Leon for a second, not looking particularly like he recognized him, and then he met Dom's gaze and frowned at Dom's amused expression before he looked back at Brian. "Guess who called me about half an hour ago."

Brian, Tej, and Dom all said, "Bilkins," and then Dom laughed.

Brian shot Dom a quick grin, then looked back at Rick. "Dad, it's fine. Have a seat."

Rick snorted but moved to the empty chair to sit down, watching Brian go towards the coffee machine. "How fine it is depends on how right _Bilkins_ was."

"Usually does," Tej said dryly. "And if he comes huntin' someone to do a job for him, Rick, tell him to shove it."

Rick looked at Tej, amused. "I would, I promise."

Brian returned with a cup of coffee in a black mug with the garage logo on it in red, offering it to Rick. "He promised me not to ask me for any more undercover work, not unless it's for family."

Rick gave Brian a dirty look. "Dammit, kid, _no_. Let people risk their _own_ necks for a change."

"I agree," Dom said, making Rick look at him in surprise. Dom pretended not to notice, giving Brian an amused little smile. "Everybody here's keeping their noses clean, and if the others get their asses in trouble, let _them_ make the deals."

Brian walked around the table towards Dom, smiling. "You say that, but if Letty was in trouble I _know_ you'd want to help her."

Dom tilted his head to look up as Brian got close, smiling. "Nope. Like I said last night, she can take care of herself. I got a more important job now."

Brian's smile widened, blue eyes sparkling and bright. "And turns out you _are_ very good at it."

Dom winked at Brian. "There's a reason they say do what you love."

Brian laughed.

Rick's eyebrows went up. "What kind of job, Toretto?"

Dom looked at Rick, smiling as he said easily, "Making sure Brian is happy and _safe_ , which is why he's not working for Bilkins ever again."

"I'm not?" Brian half-asked, amused.

Dom looked up at Brian again, his smile widening. "Nope." His smile softened as he lifted his hand towards Brian. "I'm your keeper, remember?"

Brian gazed into Dom's eyes with a little smile for a moment, then took Dom's hand and laced their fingers together. "Not something I could forget."

Dom gave his hand a squeeze, then looked back towards Brian's dad, who just looked at them for a few moments before Rick said firmly, "Hurt him and die, Toretto. I know all the tricks to hide a body, I've been working homicide over two years now."

Dom chuckled softly as Brian gave his dad a dirty look and said, "What is it with everyone threatening to kill him? _I_ want him _alive_."

"It's okay, babe," Dom said, looking up at Brian with his dark eyes sparkling. "I totally understand it." He looked back at Rick, adding, "Like I told Tej when he threatened to put me through a wood chipper, if I hurt him I'll _let you_ kill me."

Rick looked at Tej, eyebrows going up. "Kid, sometimes you scare me."

Tej grinned. "Who, me? I wouldn't hurt a fly!"

"Unless they hurt Brian," Dom said, amused. Tej looked at Dom, who added, "I kinda think that there would be a line, though. You'd have to beat me to 'em, and I know Rome's gonna feel the same, then there's Leon, and Bri's dad here."

Brian smiled wryly. "I _can_ take care of myself." Tej and Rome both made scoffing noises and Brian gave them a quelling look. "Oh, shut up."

"Can, but _don't_ ," Dom pointed out, looking up at Brian with amusement even though he was completely serious. "You don't get to do anything as stupid as working for Bilkins, not anymore."

Brian snorted, amused. "Just 'cause I said you're my keeper doesn't make you my _boss_."

Dom smirked. "Bet I can make you _like_ doing what I tell you."

Brian looked at him a moment and then grinned. "I bet you can too."

Dom's smirk widened. "Alright then. You're staying out of any serious trouble. I'll make it worth your while."

"I want to do that anyway," Brian pointed out, blue eyes sparkling.

"See? Already learning to like it and I haven't even had to persuade you yet," Dom said, smug.

Brian just laughed again and didn't comment.

Rick settled back in his chair with his coffee, surprised but pleased. "Maybe Bri was right about you after all, Toretto."

Dom looked at Rick, amused and smiling. "He usually is. Which part?"

"Mostly the way you take care of people you love," Rick replied, then took a sip of his coffee and realized gratefully Tej must have made it last, it was extra strong.

Leon chuckled. "Anyone who messes with Brian is in deep shit, and that's _before_ Tej and Rome hear about it."

Tej snickered, nodding as he looked at Rick. "You can relax, poppa bear. Our boy is safe with him."

Rick's eyebrows rose and then he looked at Rome. "You agree, Roman?"

"If I didn't, he wouldn't be touchin' Brian," Rome said easily. "Not in front of me."

Rick thought about that a moment and then nodded and looked at Brian. "Alright."

"Y'know, it's cute that y'all think _you_ get to decide," Brian said dryly, "but you're all full of shit. Nobody gets to decide if I'm gonna be with Dom but _me_."

"I don't get a say either?" Dom asked, looking up at Brian in amusement.

Brian smirked at Dom, blue eyes sparkling. "You're the one who said it's your job to make me happy."

Dom laughed.

 

~*~*~

 

Rome hit ninety in the Spyder as he led the way onto US 1 for the drive south, Tej in the passenger seat beside him and Suki in the back with her friend Kali, who had invited herself along for the ride. Tej and Rome were talking about the races Tej was setting up for that night, discussing which drivers would be there and what they were running while Suki and Kali listened interestedly. Rome made more money from betting on other drivers than he ever had racing, even though his Spyder was one of the top cars in town.

Leon was right behind them in the Skyline, grinning wide and happy with the stereo going loud as he sang along with ' _Monkey Wrench'_. A folder full of Foo Fighters songs was the first thing he found in the car's computerized audio system worth listening to, though he had laughed when he found a folder of Pink's stuff at number one on the 'most played' list and remembered Dom driving onto Letty's place in Teopantlan with ' _U+Ur Hand'_ blasting loud enough they heard him coming _way_ down the road. Letty had looked at Dom like he grew a second head for _hours_ and kept giving him shit about it for half the summer, it was hilarious. Dom had used the excuse it was the only music in the car as being why he was listening to Pink, but he had passed about a thousand places he could have bought something different.

Leon was happy as could be with the Foo Fighters, though, singing along and enjoying the drive. He was already in love with the Skyline, amazed by how he just had to _think_ what he wanted her to do and by the time he started to move she was already on the way. After just a short drive he was already sure he wanted Jimmy and Brian to teach him their tricks, preferably by practicing on the Supra. He'd be looking for a car for himself before long and he'd be racing the Supra to earn it, most likely. It was fast, but the Skyline was tweaked so perfect it made the Supra seem almost second-rate.

Dom was last in line, smiling wide and pleased as he drove the Mustang, who was as smooth as silk with a big engine that gave her that deep-throated rumble he loved, and he couldn't wait to see what she could _really_ do. He was enjoying watching Leon head bang and sing along to whatever he was listening to, knowing from experience that the guy had plenty of enthusiasm but absolutely no talent as a singer, and after a little while he started to wonder what Brian had been listening to recently. He knew Brian liked music while he drove, and he reached to turn on the CD player without thinking twice.

Brian laughed softly, making Dom look at him just as the music began to play, and then Dom had to laugh too. It was the same song that had been first on the CD he found in the Supra the day Brian gave him her keys, so long ago. "Really? Still?"

"I like the _'Funhouse Live'_ album," Brian said, grinning at him.

"You must, you left the same one in the Supra," Dom teased, smiling at Brian.

"I can change it," Brian said, amused. "I've got a few others in the glove box."

"Nah, she's grown on me," Dom said as he reached to turn it up instead. He could see that the road ahead of the Spyder was fairly clear and he glanced over at Brian, smirking. "You said the cops let you play? Know your cars?"

Brian grinned. "Yep."

Dom's smirk widened. "Nice." He swung the Mustang into the slow lane and floored it, looking over just in time to see Rome's surprise as they blew past the Spyder.

Dom shifted gears as he moved back into the fast lane in front of the Spyder, his smirk widening into a wide grin at the way the Mustang leapt ahead with Leon and the Spyder side-by-side behind her, trying to keep up. Dom dodged around a truck and then looked at Brian, still grinning wide as he said, "Babe, I _love_ your car."

Brian gave him that wide happy grin that had made Dom fall for him, blue eyes so bright and sparkling that they almost seemed to glow. "Better pay attention, they can catch us if they try hard enough."

Dom laughed, looking back at the road. "Not today, they can't."

 

 

~ End


End file.
